Percy Jackson and the Sorcerer's Stone
by Pink Wolf Princess
Summary: HPJ Verse.  Percy confronts the Dark Lord and the Hogwarts school year draws to a close.  Percy's first year at Hogwarts is now complete.
1. Chapter 1: The Boys Who Lived

Hi. I don't own Harry Potter or Percy Jackson.

Okay, some people say that Percy & Harry have a lot in common- maybe a little too much. Well, let's see how much of that is true.

And yes, it'll be VERY close to canon in the beginning but it'll be going equally as off the rails soon enough. Alas, I lack JK and Rick's wit… bummer.

This will be the one to kind of sort of explain things. Heh. And it's the shortest. Sorry.

EDITED by Mellie Erdmann.

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><p><strong>Chapter One: The Boy(s) Who Lived<strong>

Someone had seen the lives of two black-haired, green-eyed boys. This someone had seen the pain and loss they had gone through, far too much in far too short a time. Yes, in time both boys would live and succeed. But the costs were too high, and defeat came so close.

But how to help them? This being had been particularly forbidden from interfering in these universes. Furthermore, the two were so alike in some ways yet so different in others.

The being smiled.

Perhaps by trading places they would be able to aid the other's world. Usually in such cases a soul's sacrifice would be required in order to link the traded souls, but not this time. And the two would not completely trade powers- resulting in the strengthening of both their abilities. At the very least this would be very fun to watch as it played out across two spaces and times.


	2. Chapter 2: The Vanishing Glass

Disclaimer: All I own is the plot bunny.

Please note that no, Percy will NOT compare Vernon and Petunia to whales and horses… for him, even now that's an insult to whales and horses.

EDITED by Mellie Erdmann.

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><p><strong>Chapter Two: The Vanishing Glass<strong>

Percy Jackson woke up with a splitting headache. And he was crammed into a small, dark space instead of on the bus to some museum with his sixth grade class next to Grover. It was very dark.

There was a sharp rapping at the door. "Up!"

Wincing, Percy found himself reaching for a pair of battered glasses. The voice was harping and shrill but he had never heard it before. Unfortunately it continued.

"Up! Get up! Now!" it screeched, complete with rapping hard on the door. Then there were footsteps leading away. Hurriedly, Percy dressed and put on the glasses before exiting the cupboard under the stairs. Until he knew what was going on, he would have to play along with whatever was happening.

A scrawny woman with a narrow, mean face in a prim floral dress was already heading back to the cupboard's door. Percy presumed she was the owner of the annoying voice.

"Good, you're up. Now get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn, I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday."

Percy barely kept a straight face- it was the birthday of someone named Duddy. Well, this was a far more entertaining dream than usual. Pushing up the baggy sleeves of his plaid long-sleeved shirt, Percy followed the wiry woman into the kitchen which was impossibly clean. The table was groaning under the weight of the brightly wrapped presents, with a racing bike that had a neon orange bow on it next to the table.

As he took care of the bacon, Percy found himself looking at the metallic convex tea kettle. His new reflection, in addition to the glasses, had him almost as scrawny as the woman with very messy hair and bright green eyes. Worse of all, he looked about nine or ten opposed to eleven and a half.

"Comb your hair!" barked a very large man as he entered the kitchen. With an eye-roll Percy snidely 'apologized', "If I'd been given time to before having to do Duddy's bacon, I would have."

"BOY!" raged the man, his face turning purple. Percy watched with fascination; he'd never made anyone turn purple before.

"Watch the bacon!" interjected the woman to him before turning to the man. "Vernon, dear, here's your coffee and the newspaper."

So the fat man sat down, glowering at Percy even as he drank his coffee and read the news. Once the bacon was done, Percy noted the egg carton next to the stove and began cooking six eggs. As he did so, he realized another off thing about this mess. Everyone (including himself) was speaking with a British accent. Huh.

A fat, ruddy boy around ten or so made his way into the kitchen, complete with wispy blonde hair and icy blue eyes. Percy instantly thought of a pig in a wig. As he put the bacon and eggs on the four plates, Percy wondered what exactly he was to the trio. Clearly he couldn't be a close relative but he couldn't be a servant since he was expected to dine with them. An abused foster kid, maybe? As he crammed the plates before the table's occupants despite the overload of presents, the fat boy (presumably Duddy) finished counting all of them.

"Thirty-six. That's two less than last year."

Percy just put a piece of bacon in his mouth, imagining that it was the fat boy's arm instead. Then that made the bacon taste horrible, so he stopped and let it return to normal bacon.

"Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mommy and Daddy."

Percy found himself wondering how someone so thin could produce someone so… large. Duddy, redder than ever, replied, "All right, thirty-seven then."

Sensing an epic temper tantrum in the coming, Percy put down his silverware and sat back. This would be interesting- would his parents be capable or even willing to stop him?

"And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that, popkin? Two more presents. Is that all right?"

"That'd be thirty-nine," observed Percy absently when Duddy got stuck.

"Is Harry right?" Duddy asked leerily. Percy just started in on his egg, relieved that he at least knew what everyone would be calling him. Giving him a dark look, the woman returned her gaze onto her beloved son.

"Yes, popkin; that'd be thirty-nine."

"Oh, all right then," Duddy decided as he grabbed the nearest parcel. Chuckling the fat man stated, "Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy, Dudley!"

Hm, Duddy was a nickname for Dudley. Both were horrible; but then Percy was short for Perseus so he didn't have much room to point fingers at weird names.

Impressed against his will by the sheer quantity, Percy watched Dudley tear through the presents carelessly. Oddly, there weren't that many video games or technology among them. Then Percy saw the calendar in the kitchen's corner. It had April 1991 as the year. The woman was clearly far too anal for such a mistake, so that meant Percy was not only British but over a decade in the past. Bugger. While Percy was processing this, there had been a brief phone call.

"Bad news, Vernon. Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take him."

Percy looked up, guessing from her bitter tone that 'him' meant himself. And Vernon? Really, what was the woman's name: Griselda, Zandramas, Belvane, Tsarmina? What would her weird name be?

"Now what?" she snapped, glaring at Percy as if it was his fault.

"We could phone Marge."

"Don't be silly, Vernon, she hates the boy," she sniffed.

Undeterred Vernon tried again: "What about what's her name, your friend- Yvonne?"

"On vacation in Majorca."

Bemused Percy finished off his bacon. Dryly he commented, "Well, you simply can't just leave me here alone."

"Of course not- we'll come back with the house in ruins," agreed the woman crossly. Percy beamed earnestly. "Exactly!"

"I suppose we could take him to the zoo… and leave him in the car…" the woman observed slowly. Percy raised his eyebrows, already trying to remember what he knew about hot wiring. Alas, Vernon broke in with, "That car's new, he's not sitting in it alone!"

While Percy internally pouted Dudley began melodramatically, externally wailing.

"Dinky Duddydums, don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special day!" the woman exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. Percy decided then and there to do whatever he could to ruin his 'special day' because he highly doubted Harry got similar treatment as Dudley on his birthday.

"I… don't… want… him… t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between obviously fake sobs. "He always sp-spoils everything!"

Despite being now younger and scrawnier, Percy upped the ante to slugging the brat as he grinned wickedly at him while his mother cooed over him.

Then the doorbell rang, with the woman freaking out as a woman with another mean preteen with a face like a rat's entered the kitchen. Dudley, of course, stopped crying at once.

"Hello, Vernon, Petunia. Happy birthday, Dudley," the woman greeted the trio. Percy blinked. Petunia? Well, that was almost normal. It was a flowery name though.

In the end, Harry had to come along to the zoo. Before they left, Vernon pulled him aside in order to threaten him with his large ruddy face next to the patsy, wiry face of 'Harry'.

"I'm warning you, I'm warning you now, boy- any funny business, anything at all- and you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas."

"So… unfunny business is allowed, then?" Percy asked brightly. Vernon turned that fascinating shade of purple again- Percy found himself wishing that he could turn his stepfather's face that color.

"NO ABNORMAL BUSINESS AT ALL!" he thundered. Percy presumed this was the reason he kept complaining about motorcycles all the ride to the zoo. That, or Vernon just loved complaining. Percy just looked out at the British landscape, which was so very different from his beloved Big Apple. He wondered if Harry was now himself, on that field trip with Mr. Brunner and Mrs. Dodds to that museum. Suddenly Percy found himself missing Grover. Somehow he doubted Harry had ever any friends.

Since it was a sunny day, the zoo was crowded. This meant Percy struck a careful balance between not getting lost and not getting close to the others. At the entrance Dudley and his friend had gotten large chocolate ice creams and since the ice cream lady had asked what 'Harry' had wanted he'd gotten a cheap lemon pop.

So Percy enjoyed the treat on such a sunny day as they wandered through the zoo, staying back a little further when he noticed Dudley and his friend getting bored as a safety precaution. For lunch they had gone to the zoo restaurant. When Dudley freaked out over his dessert not having enough ice cream on top, Percy had been given it so Dudley could get a second one.

Percy had no idea what a knickerbocker glory was besides delicious and having a funny name.

After lunch they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark with dim lighting. Behind the glasses various reptiles were moving about in their environments. Dudley, being very large himself, found his reptile equivalent. It was probably over ten feet long and a bit stocky, but was also sound asleep.

His piggy nose jammed up against the glass, Dudley whined to his father, "Make it move."

So Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't react. Percy watched on with interest as Dudley got his father to do it again to no avail. Complaining about how it was boring, Dudley went on to the more active inhabitants of the exhibit.

Curiously Percy approached the giant snake, feeling an odd kinship with it. Tilting his head, he waited. The snake raised his head until they were eye-to-eye and winked at him.

Percy suddenly flashed back to some odd things happening to him at his schools- such as strangling vipers or being stalked by a man with a single eye- things that had ultimately led to him changing schools so much. His heart pounding, Percy glanced around to make sure no one was watching. Then he winked back.

The snake jerked its head at Vernon and Dudley before raising its eyes to the ceiling. Next it gave Percy a look that plainly said: "I get that all the time."

"It's so annoying," murmured Percy in agreement. The snake nodded in agreement. Percy had never talked to a snake before but he figured small talk would be a good place to start.

"So… where are you from?"

The snake jabbed its tail at the little sign next to its exhibit. After a few minutes Percy got his dyslexia under control enough to read the sign. It read: _Boa Constrictor_, Brazil. Below that it read: This specimen was bred in the zoo.

"I'd bet you'd like to go there, huh?" asked Percy. The snake nodded.

"DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY!" shouted Dudley's friend so loudly that both snake and Percy jumped. "COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!"

Waddling forward, Dudley shoved Percy to the ground hard. "Out of the way, you."

As he hit the concrete floor, Percy heard Dudley and his friend shout and jump back. Everyone else in the reptile house had the same reaction. Pushing himself up, Percy looked around. All the glass containing the reptiles had vanished, and all the reptiles were taking advantage of this fact.

The brown and beige snake had uncoiled rapidly and slithering out onto the floor as all the people scurried to the exits.

"Brazil, here I come… thanksss, compañero," the snake hissed as he passed Percy.

"I think they speak Portuguese in Brazil," commented Percy. The snake just looked bemused as it slithered out of the reptile house, playfully nipping at the heels of Dudley and his friend as it left.

The keeper of the reptile house was in shock, repeatedly wondering where all the glass had gone. Percy was wondering the same thing.

Eventually everyone had recovered and got in the car to head home. Unfortunately Dudley's friend recovered enough to say- "Harry was talking to it, weren't you, Harry?"

At least the once again purple Vernon waited until the friend and his mom left before informing Percy, "Go- cupboard- stay- no meals."

Then he promptly collapsed in a chair so that Petunia had to go get him a large brandy.

Quietly Percy remained dressed while in his cupboard. Poor Harry. Well, no matter, because Percy wasn't going to put up with this pile of dog poo. Once he was sure it was late enough he'd sneak out, pack some food in a knapsack, and leave this suburban hellhole.


	3. Chapter 3: The Letters from No One

Disclaimer: All I own here is the plot bunny.

Oh dear… so off the rails now. Percy doesn't care about following the rules the way Harry does. And Harry is an innate rule bender… meep.

EDITED by Mellie Erdmann.

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><p><strong>Chapter Three: The Letters from No One<strong>

Percy was not amused. Sure he had escaped from Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley nearly two months ago now but was now evading the authorities, raiding garbage cans, occasionally stealing from convenience stores, sleeping in some strange places, and he could now talk to certain animals.

He could talk to any animal that was even semi-aquatic, any equine, and snakes. One of the first things he clarified was that no, they didn't mind (too much) being eaten. Being wasted was worse. Still, Percy had a sneaking feeling he'd be partially vegetarian from now on.

Also, a few weeks into his escape he had teamed up with the giant constrictor who had proved to be female. Apparently her name was Catalina and the zookeeper who had fed her was Hispanic, thus the occasional Spanglish. Now she decided instead of going to Brazil she would accompany Percy on his little adventure.

So if he ever got into any trouble, Catalina made herself known. An eleven-foot-long snake out of seemingly nowhere tended to scare off even the most hardened criminals. Nonetheless Percy in Harry's body was wirer than ever from a lack of steady meals. He was keeping out of sight, and not really having a plan. He had no idea how to call his mom, no idea what Harry's last name was, and no idea how he ended up in the body of a young boy

"Ssso, what'sss the plan for tomorrow, Percy?" Catalina asked, coiled up nearby. Tonight the two were huddled under a pine tree. It smelled nice, like the ones near Yancy Academy.

"I saw a sign for a place named Ottery St. Catchpole that's a few hundred miles away. Maybe they'll have food," Percy mused as his stomach rumbled.

"Ratsss?" Catalina asked hopefully. "I like to eat ratsss…"

"I know," chuckled Percy. "I'm sure there'll be a rat somewhere you can eat."

"Good," Catalina hissed before going to sleep. Yawning Percy did the same. When they woke up with the sun the next morning Percy saw a letter next to him. It took him a while with his dyslexia but it read:

_**Mr. P. Jackson (nee Mr. H. Potter)**_

_**Under a pine tree**_

_**East Devon**_

_**Devon**_

Highly confused, Percy left the letter where it was as he and Catalina moved on. They found a retired plough horse in a field who agreed to give them a lift in the direction of Ottery St. Catchpole. Percy listened to the horse about Devon as clouds closed in from the south. Since it looked like it was going to rain and Catalina disliked getting wet, Percy and Catalina found a hay barn to spend the night in. When he woke up, it was still raining and there was another letter by his side.

_**Mr. P. Jackson (nee Mr. H. Potter)**_

_**Mr. Diggory's Hay Loft**_

_**East Devon**_

_**Devon**_

"Huh. Can I eat it?" inquired Catalina, looking over the envelope.

"Nah, just leave it. We're going to Ottery St. Catchpole, remember?" Percy felt much better now that he knew where he was going instead of wandering aimlessly.

"Very well," Catalina acknowledged, slithering after Percy, as he headed out into the rain. The rain washed off some of the dirt from Percy until it ended.

Finding an abandoned and soggy newspaper during their trek, Percy learned it was now July 10th. And there was indeed a small ad in the wanted extolling people to find him- 'Harry Potter'. Interestingly he was defined as 'deranged and dangerous'. Apparently Harry was more of a troublemaker than his puny appearance implied. Catalina found a few rats to eat during the day, and they slept on a riverbank with looming clouds overhead.

Three letters were next to Percy when he woke up, all with the same address. Bemusedly Percy looked at the back, which had the envelopes sealed with a design- a red and gold lion, a black and yellow badger, a green and silver snake, and a bronze and blue bird.

"Sssnake. That isss me," Catalina observed happily. "Sssnake."

"Why do you talk like that?" Percy asked curiously. Catalina raised herself to look Percy in the eyes. "Because that isss how sssnakes ssshould talk, yesss?"

"But the garter snakes we've met don't talk like that."

"Then they are not proper sssnakesss," Catalina hissed serenely.

Rolling his eyes, Percy put back on his backpack. "Come along, Catalina. To Ottery St. Catchpole we keep going!"

"First a bath… Percy sssmellsss."

"Well, okay," acknowledged Percy, removing his backpack. He was still sort of smelly and dirty and hadn't bathed in a while. So he stripped down to his underwear and jumped into the cool water. As he rubbed off the dirt from his body, Percy felt better than since he had awakened in that cupboard.

Curiously he ran a hand over the surface of the river, lifting up a solid orb of water. Looking at his distorted reflection, Percy wondered how Harry had gotten a lightning bolt scar on his forehead. Something very specific must have happened for such a specific scar.

"You are not normal. You are the Combined One," observed Catalina.

"The combined one? What does that even mean?" questioned Percy even as he contorted his orb into various shapes. Catalina did a serpentine shrug.

"No idea. I just made it up. But it sssuitsss you."

"If you say so, Catalina."

"I do say so. You are capable of great things more than when you were uncombined; I have no doubt that you will accomplish them," Catalina commented as she sunned herself in the rising sun.

Shaking his head Percy dumped his orb of water onto himself. Luckily he'd gotten the trick of getting wet when he wanted to opposed to anything else down. Once clean, he scrubbed at his clothes for a bit before instantly drying them and himself once out of the river. After getting dressed he and Catalina continued towards Ottery St. Catchpole. Percy wasn't sure why he was so determined to go there but he was sure that he was going to get there.

Over the few days as he closed in on Ottery St. Catchpole Percy awoke each day to more and more of the same letters.

"Thisss is sssilly," noted Catalina on what Percy guessed to be the nineteenth of the month. The pair had awakened to nearly a hundred letters on the branches of the oak tree they were sleeping under.

"Yeah, really silly," agreed Percy, narrowing his eyes at one of the letters. Then he yelped when said letter turned into a bubble. As the bubble floated up into the sky Percy continued shakily, "I mean, there's not even a return address. They're literally out of nowhere from no one."

"Ridiculousss," hissed Catalina. "They're lettersss… they must be from sssomeone."

"Not these ones," Percy retorted grimly, tugging on an ocean blue baseball cap he had found in a field. "Come on; by this evening we'll be at Ottery St. Catchpole."

"Good… but then what?"

"I have no idea."

"You will think of sssomething, Percy the Combined One. Hopefully it will involve me eating ratsss."

"Whatever, Catalina. And stop calling me that."

The constrictor hissed in amusement as she fully uncoiled. True to Percy's prediction they were on the edges of Ottery St. Catchpole by mid-afternoon. However, on the last leg of the journey came an interesting obstacle. It came in the form of a very strange-looking house.

Percy and Catalina poked their heads over the cobblestone wall, closely studying it.

It looked as if the house had been built in bits and pieces rather than all at once, giving a distinctly lopsided appearance despite being several stories high. Equally lopsided was a sign that Percy guessed spelled 'FURR OW' or something similar. Multiple chimneys protruded from the red tiled roof and no window was the same shape or size as its fellows. There was a sizable vegetable garden and some chickens wandering around. And there was a lovely large pond within the fence as well as ancient gnarled trees and hundreds of flowers. Percy found the place welcoming, especially with those strange letters from no one following him everywhere. But he needed to get a move on, figure out what to do and how to get back to normal.

Then boy and snake nearly jumped out of their skins were a pair of voices chorused from behind them chorused wickedly, "And just might who you be?"


	4. Chapter 4: Keeper of the Keys

Yay! Time for chapter 4!

Yes, remember to read how Harry is coping in Percy's world just as Percy is coping with Harry's. This is so much fun. I only wish I owned either plot bunny. Bummer. But Rowling & Riordan are, like, plot bunny masters, yes?

Just a heads up… Hufflepuff is my favorite house. BADGERS FOREVER!

And… a bit of a false title here… but there is some metaphorical key-keeping going on.

EDITED again by Mellie Erdmann.

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><p><strong>Chapter Four: The Keeper of the Keys<strong>

Percy turned around and blinked because he was seeing double. There were two lanky early teens with bright red hair and freckles in red T-shirts and jeans. One of them narrowed his eyes at the younger boy.

"Do we know you?"

"No idea," Percy smiled wryly. "Don't mind me, I was about to move on anyway. Just admiring the house; unusual but homey."

"Thanks," went the other one. "I'm George and that's Fred."

"Hello." Percy wasn't sure whether to use his own name, Harry's name, or just make up one. Pointing at Catalina Fred asked, "What's that?"

"That's Catalina. I believe she's a zoo escapee but now she's my pet."

"Ratsss?" asked Catalina hopefully, making Percy roll his eyes. He informed the twins, "She likes to eat rats."

"Ron has a pet rat," Fred observed. "But I don't think he or Percy would like it if Scabbers got eaten."

"Why would Percy care?"

"Because Scabbers was his until he became a 'prefect' so Mum and Dad are going to get him an owl as a reward," George explained.

Fred made a face. "We don't want to be prefects."

George nodded his agreement. Both of them were clearly disgusted. Not quite knowing what a prefect even was, Percy started to eye the road leading to Ottery St. Catchpole.

"Anyhow, I'd better get going…"

"Nonsense!" Fred beamed. "You look like you need a good meal and Mum loves to feed people!"

George looked a bit surprised and studied Percy closer. "I'm not sure, Fred…"

Fred made an odd movement and George's eyes flickered to Percy's forehead. Then easily he agreed with his twin that their mother wouldn't mind having another guest for lunch.

"I really shouldn't intrude," Percy insisted as his traitorous stomach rumbled. Each grabbing an arm the twins marched him into the yard. Percy looked over at Catalina who only hissed in amusement.

"Perhaps there will be eatable ratsss asss well as an uneatable one here."

Percy didn't struggle, but only because he suspected the twins knew something about 'Harry' that he didn't. And because he was hungry and lunch sounded like a really good idea.

"Mum, we found a kid! Can we keep him?" Fred called out as the twins dragged Percy into the house.

The kitchen was large and welcoming. Dishes were washing themselves in a suds-filled sink, and there was a bubbling cauldron in the fireplace. There was a large wooden table that had six settings with room for four more. A plump woman with curly red hair in a maroon robe came into the kitchen.

"Boys, stop- oh hello, dear."

"Hi?" tried Percy. The woman's motherly blue eyes reminded him a bit of his mom's eyes, and Percy felt a stab of homesickness. He wondered if she had even noticed Harry replacing him, or if Grover had either.

"Who are you, dear?" she inquired, waving a piece of wood that suddenly caused a new setting to fly out of the cupboard onto the table.

Baffled Percy admitted, "I'm not sure. I used to be Percy but now I'm in Harry's body and I have no idea what I'm supposed to do."

The twins and their mother looked at him oddly. Percy shrugged. "Or I'm just crazy. That's always an option."

"I like him," Fred decided brightly, George nodding. "Mum- please can we keep him? We'll feed him and take him for walks and try to make his hair neat-"

"I think that might be a lost cause; it's a mess even when drenched," Percy sighed.

Just then Catalina slithered into the kitchen. The twins' mom's eyes widened.

"This is Catalina; she's my pet snake. Um, keep this 'Scabbers' away from her… she might try to eat him."

Catalina, giving Percy a look, slithered off to curl up in a nearby rocking chair that had a basket full of balls of yarns next to it. Seeing the knitting needles and shears, Percy felt an odd shiver go down his back but refocused on the twins' mother.

"So I'm Percy Jackson in Harry Potter's body, these two are Fred and George… so who are you besides their mom?"

"I'm Molly Weasley… I think I ought to send an owl to Hogwarts."

"Hog what?" went Percy.

Fred and George exchanged a confused look. "You don't know what Hogwarts is?"

"Look: somehow I retained Harry's British accent but I'm a preteen from Manhattan ten years in the future! I don't even know how or why I can talk to certain animals!"

Everyone resumed staring at him. Percy groaned. "Oh boy. Look, I promise I'm not crazy… or at least I don't think I'm crazy."

"Definitely sending an owl to Hogwarts…" mused Mrs. Weasley, reaching for a piece of paper and a quill. "George, find Errol. Fred, keep… Percy company."

"Errol?" echoed Percy as George dashed off. "Who's that?"

"He's just our ancient owl. Ron thinks he's a menace 'cause he keeps flying into stuff but George and I think he's a hoot," grinned Fred. Percy raised his eyebrows at the bad pun which only widened Fred's grin. Mrs. Weasley was engrossed in writing the letter and didn't hear.

George returned with what appeared to be at first glance a battered feather duster. Nonetheless Mrs. Weasley attached the note to his leg and sent him flying off.

"Fred, gather your siblings. Percy, wash your hands and join us for lunch."

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley," agreed Percy as the warm smell of the finished stew began to fill the kitchen. As he washed his hands he asked George, "So, how many siblings do you have?"

"Well, there's my twin Fred of course. Then Ron and Ginny are younger than us while Bill, Charlie, and Percy are all older. But Bill is in Egypt now and Charlie is in Romania working with dragons."

"Dragons?" frowned Percy. "What are you guys- wizards or something?"

"The former," nodded George proudly. "I'd show you my wand but Mum always confiscates mine and Fred's for some reason during the summers…"

Mrs. Weasley rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, "I'd swear they're the reincarnations of my brothers…"

"Anyway, what's Percy short for? Because you look nothing like our brother."

"Perseus," Percy made a face. "My mom likes the Greek myths."

"Hm, our Percy is short for Percival. At least Perseus is known for hacking off Medusa's head."

"True."

"So, Perseus it is!" beamed George. As Fred returned he told his twin, "George, we can't call Percy 'Percy' because that's an insult to him considering our brother."

"Already taken care of: it's short for Perseus."

"Ah, Medusa's head guy! Excellent."

"Boys…" Mrs. Weasley warned them. Percy hurriedly told her, "I don't mind, Mrs. Weasley."

An older teenage redheaded boy with horn-rimmed glasses came into the kitchen, a book under his arm. "Is it lunchtime already? I was busy studying…"

"I know Percy but it's time for lunch," Mrs. Weasley told him as she started to ladle out stew into the bowls. Spotting Percy the other Percy asked, "Who's this?"

"Perseus!" chorused Fred and George. Dubiously the other Percy commented, "All right then."

A redheaded boy around Harry's age rushed into the kitchen. "Lunchtime?"

"Yes, Ron."

"What, is everyone in this family redheaded?"

Fred and George just smirked at Percy. Finally a preteen girl with two red braids in a red sundress came into the kitchen.

"Hi, Mum."

"Hello, Ginny, dear. Come on, let's eat dinner before the reply from Hogwarts comes."

"Wait- why would there be a contact from Hogwarts?" the other Percy inquired. Ron, his mouth already full, asked the same question through his food. Percy was strongly reminded of Grover. Mrs. Weasley scolded Ron, "Don't speak with your mouth full, Ronald. It's about Perseus- do you mind me calling you that?"

"No, Mrs. Weasley," Percy shook his head as he and his twins took their seats. With a flick of her wand Mrs. Weasley filled her cup with some golden brown liquid.

"Now, what would everyone else like?"

Ron shrugged and got orange juice, Ginny asked for apple cider, the other Percy asked for butter beer as did the twins (which proved to be that golden brown liquid), and Percy asked for something blue. Everyone again looked at him. Awkwardly Percy explained, "Blue food… it's sort of an in-joke for my mom and I."

"Of course, dear," smiled Mrs. Weasley and with a swish of her wand the cup filled with blue liquid that proved to taste vaguely chocolate-like.

"Thank you for the hospitality, Mrs. Weasley," Percy felt compelled to say. George spoke up. "It's no problem, Perseus - Mum mums everyone."

Ginny giggled. After everyone had finished their lunch they put the dishes in the sink. The other Percy retreated back to his room, and Ron and Ginny went off to play 'wizarding chess'. Percy didn't want to ask how it differed from usual chess- presumably it involved curses or stuff blowing up. Fred and George went out with their broomsticks and Mrs. Weasley forced Percy to take a proper bath as well as put on some clothes of Ron's that were less baggy than Dudley's hand me downs at least.

Instead of Errol or another owl, an old man appeared out of nowhere in the backyard while Percy's hair was still damp. He had a long white beard and was dressed in an embroidered purple robe with golden half-moon glasses. Percy had never seen anyone quite like him before. Clearly taken aback Mrs. Weasley went out the back door to greet him.

"Headmaster Dumbledore!" she exclaimed. "I would have expected Hagrid or Professor McGonagall. After all he's the Keeper of the Keys and she's Deputy Headmistress."

"Yes, well, your message was… quite disconcerting," the old man replied as he entered the kitchen behind Mrs. Weasley.

Percy stayed in his chair, partially because Catalina was heavy and partially because he was starting to feel really tired. So he introduced himself to the old man- Dumbledore- and explained his story. All the while Dumbledore kept his hands steepled together as he sat at the table, his bright blue eyes on Percy. Mrs. Weasley bustled around the kitchen, coming up with a tray of sweets for Dumbledore to eat. Only when Percy had finished did Dumbledore speak.

"This is most unusual… and I'm concerned about the Dursleys' treatment of you and by extension Harry. I wouldn't have thought relatives would… but in case, let's perform a little test to see what the effects of this apparent switch have been. A scroll, perhaps, Molly?"

"Yes, Headmaster," nodded Mrs. Weasley, and with a swish of her wand she called up a scroll that landed in front of the aged man- wizard. Percy still couldn't quite believe that wizards were real. Getting out his own dark-hued wand Dumbledore cast a series of silent spells on the parchment.

"Now, could you please put your hand flat on this paper, Percy?"

"Okay," Percy nodded. He told Catalina to scoot, which she did although his instruction clearly made Mrs. Weasley uneasy and Dumbledore's eyebrows rose at it as well. Hiding his nerves, Percy walked over to the table and put his hand down on the parchment.

Blue and green swirls spread out onto the parchment from his hand- the blue going to the left side and the green going to the right side. The swirls then congealed into various forms. A wand shooting sparks, a snake, a lightning bolt, a broomstick, a bubbling cauldron, and an open book were on the green side while on the blue side were a horse, a globe of aquatic animals, a sword, a moving wave, ancient Greek symbols, and a storm.

"Fascinating…" mused Dumbledore as a teal line divided the two sides but then smaller lines reached out and linked each of the emblems to the central line. "It looks like Percy has considerable powers as well… and that as a result of them switching souls they have merged powers."

"In other words, we combined abilities," sighed Percy, shooting a look at the smug constrictor curled up in a patch of sunlight. "So now I'm a wizard as well as whatever I was originally and Harry is now something else and a wizard."

"I couldn't have put it better myself," beamed Dumbledore.

Percy narrowed his eyes. "But then what's up with all those letters following me around?"

"Ah… those would be your letters about Hogwarts."

"Which is?"

"The wizarding school for Britain, dear," Mrs. Weasley spoke up. "It's over a thousand years old."

"Huh; not as old as the Greek civilization then," Percy commented, needing that confirmation for some reason. Probably an aftereffect of Brunner's Latin class was all.

Pensively Dumbledore conceded, "Yes. And Percy, you're free to remove your hand now."

"Oh, yeah." Removing his hand from the piece of parchment Percy commented, "So now what?"

Sighing heavily Dumbledore admitted, "It is impossible for you to enter under your own name- if Harry Potter didn't show up at Hogwarts, there would be panic."

"Why?"

"Because Harry is the reason You-Know-Who isn't around anymore. He killed Harry's parents and then tried to kill Harry… but it backfired. Harry became the Boy Who Lived while You-Know-Who hasn't been seen since. He's probably dead," Mrs. Weasley said with surprisingly relish. Percy raised his eyebrows.

"Yes, well, Lord Voldemort did wipe out entire families… including the Prewetts of whom Molly was one before her marriage."

"Oh. Entire families… that's horrible. I mean, I have no one except for my mom… and now…" Percy felt a sniffle coming on but forced it down. It was just because he was in the body of someone nearly two years younger- that was a big gap. "I mean, I'm probably like ten in this body and I was going to be a teenager finally this August!"

"Harry's eleventh birthday is on the last day of July," admitted Mrs. Weasley.

With a heavy sigh Dumbledore stated, "Those were dark days… we're still recovering from them. So Harry Potter must at least appear to go to Hogwarts."

"Well, it'd be better than everyone confusing me with Percy Weasley," Percy admitted. "But can I stay here?"

Dumbledore nodded somberly. "Yes… don't take this the wrong way, Percy Jackson, but your appearance here has already changed a great deal of things in this world."

Percy smiled broadly. "Well, then I guess I'll just have to change some more."


	5. Chapter 5: Diagon Alley

I own many plot bunnies & "Twigtown Tales". Yes, I'm back at last… I tweaked the last chapter a bit. I hope they were improvements.

Okay, I'll admit I have an interest in redeeming people. *hangs head* I'll try to keep everyone at least partially in character though.

EDITED by Mellie Erdmann.

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><p><strong>Chapter Five: Diagon Alley<strong>

Mrs. Weasley had called down her children for their input on this situation. The other Percy was asking a lot of questions, Fred and George were excited, Ron just looked confused, and Ginny was worried about what the real Harry was up to. While Mrs. Weasley tried to assure her children, Dumbledore had stepped outside to contact someone for further assistance.

As for Percy, he was sitting at the kitchen table, Catalina coiled up at his feet. The full impact of what he had learned was sinking in: he wasn't just now in the body of a wizard but had somehow merged powers with a wizard, implying he too had powers before the body transfer. And now he was about to plunge headfirst in a wizarding society where he would have to pretend to be their savior. Just great.

"What am I going to tell Arthur?" Mrs. Weasley muttered to herself. Arthur was Mr. Weasley, Percy guessed. Ron walked over and poked Percy's shoulder.

"So you're some Muggle in Harry Potter's body?"

"No, this test proves that whatever Perseus is, he's not a Muggle," refuted the other Percy, studying the scroll Dumbledore had done his test on over his horn-rimmed glasses. Ron looked back and forth between the two Percy's.

"This is so weird."

"You have no idea," snarked Percy before remembering _The Lion King _hadn't come out yet. Therefore he changed the subject. "What's a Muggle anyway?"

"Someone without magic," explained the other Percy seriously, still studying the scroll. "This is a most interesting situation."

Fred and George high-fived before chorusing, "And we found him!"

A minute later Dumbledore swept back into the kitchen, followed by other four other people. The two male newcomers were exceedingly different: one was short, dark-haired, and ruddy while the other was sallow, looked younger than Mrs. Weasley, and had greasy black hair. One woman had her greying hair back in a tight bun, glasses perched on her nose while the other woman was plump and her brown hair only partially grey.

"Professors," the other Percy nodded. Three of the four nodded their acknowledgment; the black-haired man ignored him. All four looked highly confused. Ginny hastily hid behind her mother.

"I briefly outlined the situation in the garden. Now-" Dumbledore began, cutting off when he saw the look on Percy's face.

"Yes, Percy?"

"Um, who are they?"

"Ah, forgive me. These are the four House Heads of Hogwarts: Professor Snape of Slytherin, Professor Flitwick of Ravenclaw, Professor Sprout of Hufflepuff, and Professor McGonagall of Gryffindor."

"Okay…" Very, very little of that explanation actually explained anything to Percy but he was just going to go with it for now since he didn't want to fry his brain from an overdose of information.

"For now the switch between Harry and Percy must stay within this kitchen. Arthur, of course, may know, and when Bill and Charlie next return home they too may be let into the secret. However, no one else should know, otherwise those who would misuse this knowledge would find out."

Professor McGonagall looked severely at the twins. "That includes Mr. Jordan, you two. And no hinting at it either."

Fred and George nodded seriously. Ron looked very confused. "Why not?"

"There are still Death Eaters on the loose, who might try to kill Percy here in hopes that it would prevent Harry's return as well as curry favor with the Dark Lord," Professor Flitwick informed the second-youngest redhead. Ginny's eyes widened.

"So, sounds like Harry's getting the better deal then. He doesn't have psychopaths after him, he's in the future and he's probably back in the Big Apple by now," sulked Percy. This made Fred and George snigger so he gave the pair a dark look. "It isn't funny."

"No, it's not," agreed Dumbledore. "This deception might be necessary to preserve the stability of the wizarding society against fear of Lord Voldemort, but I fear it will be very trying for you, young Perseus."

"I'll manage as long as I don't have to go back to the Dursleys…"

"Of course. Molly?"

"What's one more kid?" beamed Fred and George.

The other Percy acknowledged, "He can share my room; we already share a name, after all."

Percy looked over at the redheaded woman. "Please?"

Pleassse_?_ echoed Catalina.

Mrs. Weasley chuckled, "I'll have to ask Arthur first, but I don't see why not."

"I don't think Mr. Potter would mind you using his Gringotts vault while you're going to Hogwarts," mused Dumbledore. Percy mouthed, _Gringotts?_

"The wizarding bank," Ron informed Percy. "It's run by goblins."

"Oh. Goblins, wizards, wands, magic in general… anything else I ought to know about?" Percy groaned, propping his head up with his hands.

The other Percy told him, "That's why we go to Hogwarts. It's where we and Muggleborns learn all about magic."

"Muggleborns? Wizards born from Muggles…?"

"Precisely," nodded the black-haired man curtly, his eyes studying Percy as if he could read his mind. Actually, it wouldn't surprise Percy to learn that he could now. "This… accident may change everything."

"Not everything, Severus," Dumbledore warned him. Percy folded his arms across his chest. "Look, I didn't want this. Okay, I just woke up in the body of this Harry kid and I don't have a clue what's going on!"

"Maybe it's some sort of prank," suggested Ron, looking over at the twins. "I mean, by someone more powerful than a wizard. Maybe it's their idea of fun."

"Doubtful," Professor McGonagall shook her head. "But honestly, it's at least a place to start. Perhaps a Death Eater performed the switch in order to weaken us and our potential for victory against him."

"A Death Eater?" squeaked Ginny, peeking out behind her mother.

Percy pushed up his glasses, looking nervous. "But they're all gone, right?"

"They aren't attacking anymore, at least," frowned Mrs. Weasley, hugging her daughter.

Dumbledore looked at her from over his half-moon glasses. "Yes, but at the first sign of their master's return the ones that went free shall regroup and resume their reign of terror."

The Weasleys' freckles stood out against their suddenly wan faces. Percy looked about anxiously. "Are these Death Eaters connected to You-Know-Who then?"

"They were his followers," acknowledged Professor Sprout, her eyes briefly flickering to Professor Snape. Professor Snape ignored her.

"And that's why I have to pretend that I am Harry Potter… because otherwise these Death Eaters will attack. They might even try to kill me because I'm not the one who defeated their master," Percy gulped. This was going to suck so much. At least he was going to learn how to blow up stuff though.

While the adults conversed, the other Percy took Percy up to his- now their- room. It had a lot of books in it, as well as a poster showing figures dressed in blue zooming about on broomsticks with the title 'Tutshill Tornados'. The window overlooked the backyard.

"What's that?"

"Oh, a Quidditch team," the other Percy told him, picking up a few books from his desk. "After rooming with Oliver at school for so long his love for the sport kind of rubbed off on me and his other dorm mates."

"So Hogwarts is a boarding school?" frowned Percy. "And can I call you Percival instead of Percy?"

"Yes and yes. The twins told you?"

"Yeah. I told them mine is short for Perseus though."

"Oh, right. The demigod… son of Zeus, right?"

"I think so," nodded Percy. "So, yeah, nice to meet you, Percival."

"Nice to meet you too, Perseus."

Percy leaned against the wall, looking around. "So… um…"

"I'm sure Mum or Dad will conjure up a bed for you," Percival assured him. Percy slid down, pulling his legs up to his chest.

"Don't worry; we'll be going to Diagon Alley soon. We'll get you your supplies. Hogwarts is a lot of fun; we learn a lot."

"I haven't-" Percy stopped, then continued. "I haven't had the best luck with schools."

"Hogwarts… is different. You'll be fine," Percival told him. "I mean, Fred and George haven't gotten kicked out."

"Yet," smiled Percy. Percival sighed and rolled his eyes before agreeing. "Yet."

The next fortnight was spent adjusting to life in the Burrow, but on July 7th after breakfast Mrs. Weasley told them, "Today we're going school shopping."

"Cool!" grinned the twins. Sternly Mrs. Weasley told them, "No going to Zonkos."

"Are we using Floo Powder?" asked Ron hopefully. Percy looked over at Percival. "Zonko's? Floo Powder?"

"Zonko's is the best!" beamed Fred. George nodded happily.

Looking over at a concerned Percy, Percival stated, "Don't worry, if you speak clearly you'll be fine. And Zonko's is Fred and George's favorite store because it's full of prank products. My favorite is Flourish and Blotts, the bookstore."

"I like the ice cream store the best!" chirruped Ginny brightly. Ron nodded blissfully. Meanwhile Mrs. Weasley had lit a fire in the fireplace and had grabbed a flowerpot full of poison green powder. "All right, let's go!"

Percy just gave Percival a look. But the older boy just smiled, "Just watch and remember to speak clearly."

So Percival took a pinch of the powder, tossed it into the fire to turn it bright green, stepped into the flames, and shouted out, "Diagon Alley!"

And in a poof Percival disappeared. Ron and the twins did the same thing, and then Mrs. Weasley held out the flower pot to Percy. Taking a deep breath, Percy took a pinch of the Floo Powder and did what the others had done. After spinning around, Percy toppled out of a different fireplace and was caught by the twins.

"All right, Harry?" beamed Percival, dusting off his robe. "Want to come with me to do your shopping?"

Fred and George looked affronted, so Percy looked down at the twins. "I can trust him not to prank me the moment my back's turned."

"True, true," admitted Fred, George smiling sheepishly in agreement.

Pushing up his glasses, Percy looked around at his surroundings as Ron arrived in the fireplace. Before him spread out a collection of colorful and oddly named shops, with people bustling about in cloaks. As Ginny showed up, Percy told Percival, "All right, this should be the most fun school shopping I've ever done!"

Telling Mrs. Weasley the plan and receiving an allowance of money to spend, Percival and Percy headed off. Passing a broomstick shop, Percy heard them mention worshipfully something called a 'Nimbus 2000', whatever that was. First they got some second-hand robes at Madame Malkin's, then got Potions materials at an apothecary, and then Percival introduced Harry to Flourish and Blotts. After over an hour, they had finished searching through the towering stacks of books and had gotten all their required books as well as some 'fun' reading for Percival.

"So. Want to get your wand first or get my own owl?" Percival asked as they left the bookstore. Pensively Percy suggested, "How about your owl? And am I allowed to bring Catalina? It didn't mention snakes being allowed at Hogwarts in the letter."

"I doubt it'll be a major problem, although Parselmouths are usually regarded as Dark wizards, so keep quiet about talking to snakes," Percival warned him as they made their way to Eeylops Owl Emporium. The inside was dark and hooting came from various angles. Percival looked at a screech owl.

"This one looks nice."

"I like this one better," Percy pointed at a white owl sleeping higher up. "I didn't know owls could be white."

"Oh, that's a snowy owl," Percival told him. "That one is rather pretty, I have to admit. But this one is bigger."

The screech owl hooted self-importantly. Waking up, the snowy owl looked down at the two teenage wizards bemusedly.

Percy insisted, "Yeah, but this one looks smart."

Spreading its wings, the owl swooped down to land on Percival's shoulder. Arms akimbo Percy pointed out, "I think the owl likes you."

Percival studied the snowy owl for a minute before sighing, "This one is more expensive but I suppose it'll be worth it."

At the register the snowy owl was confirmed to be female and caged. Leaving the store Percival said, "Now for your wand."

As they strolled down the winding street Percy asked, "Why is talking to snakes viewed as Dark magic?"

"Well, it started before that, but here in Britain it's mostly because Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth."

"Who?"

"One of the four founders of Hogwarts a thousand years ago," Percival explained. "The four houses are named after them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin."

"But then shouldn't he have been a good guy if he helped found Hogwarts?"

"He was at first," acknowledged Percival. "But then he became convinced that only purebloods should be taught at Hogwarts and those with Muggle ancestry shouldn't be allowed in. The other three disagreed, and eventually Slytherin left the school due to all the fighting. Ever since then, nearly all the Dark wizards have come from that house, including You Know Who. We Weasleys have been Gryffindors for generations though."

"Oh." Percy wasn't quite sure how to feel about this so he changed the subject. "What are you going to name your owl?"

"Hm. I'm not sure."

"What about Athena? She was a goddess of wisdom and one of her symbols was the owl," Percy remembered from Mr. Brunner's Latin class.

Percival tried it out. "Athena. I like it. Okay, her name is Athena. Ah, and here we are at Ollivanders!"

"It's kind of small," observed Percy. This store was also shabby, with a faded sign saying _Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands Since 382 B.C._ Opening the door, Percival caused a small tinkling sound as the two walked into the store. Most of the space was taken by stacks of narrow boxes presumably holding wands, though there was a single ancient chair that Percival set Athena's cage on.

"Good afternoon," came a faint voice.

Both boys wheeled around to face an old man with wide pale eyes that shone through the dusty darkness of the store.

"Ah, yes. Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon, Harry Potter. You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."

Percy remembered wistfully when he was in his own body, with his real mother's eyes. But as Mr. Ollivander drew closer, Percy gulped. The way his eyes stayed open without blinking was sort of creepy.

"Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches and pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it- it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."

"Of course," Percy replied weakly as the old man came so close he could almost feel Mr. Ollivander's breath on his face. Quietly Mr. Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a long, pasty finger.

"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it. Thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands… well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do…"

Shaking his head, Mr. Ollivander realized Percival's rigid presence to Percy's relief.

"Percival! Percival Weasley! Back so soon? Blackthorn, phoenix tail feather, ten inches, stiff, correct?"

"Yes, sir. I have it right here," Percival replied, pulling out his wand and passing it over to Mr. Ollivander. Studying it closely Mr. Ollivander commented approvingly, "You've kept it in good condition."

Percival flushed happily as he retook his wand. "Thank you."

"Now, Mr. Potter, which is your wand arm?" Mr. Ollivander inquired as he got out a lengthy tape measure covered it silver markings. Percy had seen the elder two Weasleys write and cast spells with the same hand over the past weeks so he said, "My right."

"Hold out your arm. That's it." Mr. Ollivander began measuring Percy all over, most of the measurements seeming utterly nonsensical. As he measured around Percy's head, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, the heartstrings of dragons, and more. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

By the end of this speech the tape measure was measuring the space between Percy's nostrils on its own, Mr. Ollivander now moving between the shelves, taking down various boxes. Telling the tape measure "That will do", it collapsed onto the floor.

"Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Just take it and give it a wave."

Awkwardly Harry took it from the old man and waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander hurriedly took it away.

"No, that's not it. Here, try this one: beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible-"

Waving it, Percy hoped for something to happen but nothing did. Passing him a third wand Mr. Ollivander told him, "Ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches. Very springy. Try it out."

But nothing happened for that one or the next few. Then Mr. Ollivander passed him a pale, long wand.

"Twelve inches, hippocampus hair, birch, very bendy."

Taking the wand, Percy felt the difference at once as warmth filled his fingers. He raised the wand up and swished it around, causing a trail of orange and purple sparks to shoot out from the end, exploding like fireworks in midair.

Percival beamed, "That's the one, then?"

"Yes," smiled Mr. Ollivander, wrapping the wand in brown paper and replacing it in its box. Then he paused, and looked to the back of the store. "But I believe that Mr. Potter might require this wand. I'll make it half-off."

"Um, okay," went Percy, feeling how many of the gold pieces- Galleons- he had left. Hastily Mr. Ollivander retrieved a wand still in its box.

Coming closer Percival asked, "What's so special about this one?"

"This wand is holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches- nice and supple. Now, the phoenix whose tail feather is in this wand, gave another feather- just one other. That wand's brother gave Mr. Potter his scar. Brother wands interact… strangely at times. It will be advantageous to keep this one close."

Both boys swallowed as Percy counted out ten Galleons and some Sickles to pay for both wands. As they left the store, Percy asked, "The money Mrs. Weasley gave me from Harry's vault- I still have a good bit of it left. Let's get some of that ice cream Ron and Ginny were talking about."

"I don't know…"

"You can read and eat at the same time, you know," Percy pointed out. So the two made their way to the ice cream place, where it turned out the other Weasleys were, having also finished their school shopping.

"Oh, what a lovely owl, Percy!" cooed Mrs. Weasley over Athena. Ginny agreed, "She's very pretty and looks rather clever!"

Athena hooted proudly, ruffling her feathers. Percival beamed. Ron sighed, looking put out. Percival told his little brother, "Aw, come on. Scabbers will be a good pet for you. He was for me, but now you get a turn."

"But I also get Charlie's old wand," pointed out Ron.

Mrs. Weasley looked a bit ashamed, "I'm sorry, Ron, but money is tight. Your father's department is not viewed well by the rest of the Ministry…"

"True, but today at Ollivander's he said that wands work best for their chosen wizard," frowned Percival. "It's probably for the best if Ron has his own wand."

"I still have at least ten galleons from Harry's vault," Percy commented, digging them out of his pocket. "I doubt he'd mind if I used them to get Ron his own wand."

Fred and George added, "If you want, we'll chip in some of our pocket money."

"Me too," nodded Percival and Ginny. The latter added, "The unicorn hair is sticking out the end of Charlie's, Mum. That can't be good."

Ron dung out a few Sickles. "It's my wand, I can help buy it."

Tearing up, Mrs. Weasley hugged them all. "All right, you won me over! You all are the best children a mum could ever have! We'll combine all the pocket money and then Percy can fill in whatever's left."

So while Percy and Percival got their ice cream and the others kept eating theirs, Mrs. Weasley and Ron went to get Ron a wand of his own. Ron returned with a fourteen inch long, willow wood wand with a unicorn hair core. Loaded down with supplies, the group returned to the Burrow to enjoy their last month of summer vacation before heading off to Hogwarts where the real challenge of keeping the switch secret would begin.

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><p><span>Yay, I kept Hedwig in!<span>


	6. Chapter 6: Journey from the Platform

Disclaimer: Rick owns The Lightning Thief and JK owns the Sorcerer's Stone. Or anything else I mention, really.

But I do own Twigtown Tales- yay!

EDITED by Mellie Erdmann.

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><p><strong>Chapter Six: The Journey from Platform 9 34ths**

August passed happily in the Burrow. Fred and George frequently holed themselves up in their room to blow up stuff, but the other three were usually available for discussion or fun. Ron was nice, especially since he was Harry's age, although Ginny was still coping with the idea that her idol was in another dimension now. And Percival was already studying for school. Mr. Weasley had used a nifty charm on his glasses that negated Percy's dyslexia, which was extraordinarily useful for reading. Percy often evaded long discussions about Muggle technology with him by claiming that he'd end up giving him 'spoilers' about future technology although sometimes they were unavoidable. And Mrs. Weasley kept everyone whole and well-fed.

All five Weasley kids loved the sport Quidditch, which was played on broomsticks. However, since Percy preferred to keep his feet on the ground he stayed inside to read whenever they went out to play with some of the other wizarding children who lived nearby, which was oddly infrequent. Then again, lots of Muggles lived in Ottery St. Catchpole so they probably wanted to keep a low profile.

But before long everyone started packing for the school year and making sure they had everything. The night before was spent with a filling dinner and a final check that everything had gotten packed. Mr. Weasley was to take them to London in his Ford Angelia on his way to work. He had the car in his garage to tinker with as a pet project of sorts. Apparently he was adding some special features to it that weren't entirely legal except since he wrote the majority of the current laws on using magic on Muggle artifacts he knew all the loopholes.

Jammed together, the car ride was relatively quiet with the radio on and Mrs. Weasley reading the wizarding paper _The Daily Prophet_. Lately the paper had been focusing on an attempt to rob a high security vault in Gringotts. With the bank so highly protected, the mere fact the culprit had escaped, even without any goods, was a huge deal. Ginny was sniffling at being told once again she was too young to go to Hogwarts, Ron was a mess of nerves, the twins were plotting in whispers, Percival was reading, and Percy felt a bit carsick.

He needed to fake being one of the wizarding world's foremost living heroes. Thankfully having been raised by Muggles no one knew what Harry was like so Percy didn't have to worry about faking a personality or knowledge of the magical world. Though having been read to by Percival about Harry Potter, Percy didn't like how high the expectations were.

Mr. Weasley dropped them off at King Cross's station, waving his farewells to his children (plus one). Their carts loaded up, they headed to the place between platforms nine and ten. Mrs. Weasley stated, "As usual this place is packed with Muggles, of course, since it mostly a Muggle place."

"Indeed," agreed Percival, double checking that Athena's cage was secure. Mrs. Weasley asked, "Now, what's the platform number?"

"Nine and three quarters!" responded Ginny, and retook up an argument from all August. "Mum, can't I go…"

"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percival, you go first."

Using an encroaching crowd of tourists to cover his path, Percival marched through the barrier between the two platforms. Percy's jaw dropped.

"Fred, you next."

"I'm not Fred, I'm George," pouted the twin (Percy still had trouble telling the two apart). "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mum? Can't you tell I'm George?"

"Sorry, George, dear."

"Only joking, I am Fred," beamed the teen, and with a playful smack on the arm from Mrs. Weasley Fred dashed through the platform barrier as well. George followed his twin hastily. Mrs. Weasley said, "Ron, Harry, you two go in together. Ginny and I will be right behind you."

Together the two pushed their carts towards the barrier. Percy shut his eyes, certain he was going to crash but he just kept running.

When he opened his eyes Percy saw a scarlet steam engine with smoke drifting overhead. A sign said _Hogwarts Express, eleven o' clock_ and the platform was packed with people.

"Come on, Harry," said Ron, pushing his cart along the platform. "We need to load up everything."

"Oh right." Percy still wasn't used to being called Harry even though the Weasleys had been calling him that a lot lately to get used to the deception. He heard a round-faced boy complain to an elderly woman that he'd lost his toad again, and saw another boy with dreadlocks show something with long hairy legs in a box to a small crowd. With a shudder Ron kept going towards the back of the train. The twins were already loading their luggage, and it looked like Percival had come and gone already.

"Want a hand?" asked George as he finished up. Percy and Ron nodded. "Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!"

By working together their luggage got put onto the train. As they caught their breath they heard Mrs. Weasley from out on the platform.

"Fred? George? Are you there?"

"Coming, Mum," called Fred. George added, "Ron and Harry are here too!"

The quartet exited the train to say goodbye to Mrs. Weasley and a sniffling Ginny. George patted her head on the head while Mrs. Weasley got out a handkerchief to rub on Ron's long nose.

"Ron, you've got something on your nose."

Grabbing him firmly Mrs. Weasley rubbed at the end of his nose.

"Mum, geroff!" Ron protested, squirming. George teased him, "Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?"

Ron just sneered at his older brother as best he could under the circumstances. "Shut up."

"Where's Percival?" asked Mrs. Weasley. The other Percy had opted to stay being Percival just to keep those in the know clear who they were discussing and because he had decided it was a more mature name. Fred nodded his head towards the approaching Percival. "He's coming now."

Already having changed into his black Hogwarts robes, with his shiny silver prefect badge on his chest Percival walked up to the family.

"Can't stay long, Mum. I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves-"

"Good thing Harry showed up otherwise you wouldn't have shut up about being prefect," Fred snorted. Percival narrowed his eyes crossly at the twins. "Like you two never shut up about your pranks."

George and Fred exchanged a surprised look before turning on Percy. "What did you do to him? Not that we mind, but still!"

Rolling his eyes Percival kissed his mother on the cheek. "Bye, Mum."

"All right, dear. Have a good term- send me an owl when you get there." She returned the kiss on the cheek and Percival left. Turning to the twins she wagged her finger at him.

"Now, you two- behave yourselves this year. If I get one more owl telling me you've- you've blown up a toilet or-"

"Blown up a toilet?" echoed George. "We've never blown up a toilet."

"Great idea though. Thanks, Mum!" grinned Fred.

"It's not funny," snapped Mrs. Weasley. "And look after Ron."

"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us," George assured their mum, patting Ron on the head.

Darkly Ron replied, "Shut up."

Having had a growth spurt over the summer, Ron was taller than Percy now and nearly as tall as the twins. Turning to Percy, Mrs. Weasley squeezed his shoulders.

She whispered quietly, "Be strong and brave, Perseus. You can do this."

"Okay," gulped Percy. A whistle sounded. Giving them all quick hugs Mrs. Weasley told them, "Hurry up!"

The four of them hurriedly got onto the train, Mrs. Weasley waving goodbye and Ginny starting to cry. Fred told her, "Don't worry, Ginny, we'll send you lots of owls."

George added brightly, "We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat!"

"George!"

"Only joking!" he replied with a cheeky grin as the train began to move. Ginny chased after the train until it was moving too fast for her to keep up. Then she just waved like Mrs. Weasley was. Quietly Fred commented, "We've been doing that since Bill was a first year. Next year Ginny will be with us so this year was the last year for it."

Percy didn't know what to say to that so he just suggested, "We'd better find seats."

"Right," agreed Fred. They found an empty compartment and sat down. Percy leaned back, closing his eyes. "This is going to be tough."

"No kidding," snorted Ron, pulling out Scabbers. Catalina had kept muttering about how succulent the fat gray rat must be, but thankfully her morals had prevented her so far from trying to swallow him up. Currently the snake was curled up in a basket among Percy's luggage fast asleep. Fred and George stood up. The former said, "Lee's got a giant tarantula down where he is. We're going to go check it out. You two will be alright here?"

"Sure," nodded Percy. Uncomfortably Ron mumbled, "Right."

The twins changed into their robes in the opposite compartment and left. Ron and Percy started to discuss some of the wizarding comic books Ron had lent Percy and before long London had been left far behind. After a while though they were content just to watch the fields go by. Shortly after twelve a dimpled woman came by with the snack cart but, having gotten sandwiches from Mrs. Weasley, the two turned her down and she moved on. A few minutes later Percival showed up with his own sandwiches in their lumpy packaging in hand, the prefects' meeting over with.

Having just unwrapped his own sandwiches Ron looked put out. "She always forgets I don't like corned beef."

"And that I don't like peanut butter and jam," agreed Percival ruefully. Percy looked at his own opened sandwiches. "I'm not a fan of tuna myself."

"I like corned beef though," noted Percival. Ron conceded, "I like tuna."

"And I like peanut butter," finished Percy. "Trade?"

"Trade," laughed the two Weasley brothers. Eating their sandwiches, Ron asked Percival, "The twins told me the Sorting involves fighting a troll. It doesn't, does it?"

"Of course not!" frowned Percival. Percy asked, "The sorting?"

Percival pushed up his glasses. "No one wants to ruin the surprise. Besides, you'll find out soon enough. Did the twins say anything else, Ron?"

"Well, they told me a spell that I tried yesterday but it didn't work," Ron confessed, getting out his wand. Rubbing his temples Percival seemed to be resigned to inquire what it was. Pointing his wand at the snoozing rat on his lap he cleared his throat before saying the 'spell'.

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."

"First off, Scabbers isn't stupid. Second, Ron, please try to be a little less gullible about the twins? Haven't you seen Mum and Dad cast lots of spells? Did any of them sound remotely like that?"

"No…" admitted Ron. "But I thought it might be special!"

Percival buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking. Percy just looked out the window to the less tame view of woods, winding rivers, and dark green hills. Percival had just gotten control of himself when there was a knock at the door. Percival called out, "Yes?"

The round-faced boy from before entered looking tearful. "Sorry, but have you seen a toad at all?"

The trio shook their heads. Sniffling the boy moped, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

"Well, he can't be too far," reasoned Percy.

Percival asked, "Do you need any help?"

Shaking his head the boy left with a parting, partial request. "Well, if you see him…"

Ron looked dourly at the sleeping Scabbers. Percival looked a bit put out. "Scabbers has been a good pet to me for a decade, Ron. I'm sure he'll grow on you."

"If you say so." Ron seemed unconvinced.

Percy was in the process of teaching the two 'rock paper scissors' when the toadless boy returned with a girl already in her clearly new Hogwarts robes.

Affronted Ron demanded, "Who are you?"

"Never mind that. Neville has lost his toad. Has anyone seen one?" she asked bossily. She had bushy brown hair and buckteeth.

Propping his head up with a hand, Ron commented, "We already told him we haven't seen it."

Neville nodded meekly. Percival looked at the girl. "I'm Percival Weasley, one of the Gryffindor prefects."

"Oh, how nice," she smiled brightly. Eying the wand that was still by Ron's side she commented, "Are you doing magic? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody's in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard- I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough- oh, I am Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you two?"

"Uh… and I'm Neville Longbottom?" tried the boy who lost his toad, but he seemed in shock at Hermione's speech. Percy and Ron exchanged stunned looks. With a slightly bemused smile Percival said, "That's my little brother Ronald and this is our friend Harry Potter."

"Are you really?" Hermione asked. "I know all about you, of course- I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in several of them."

"Am I?" squeaked Percy.

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," Hermione commented, brown eyes wide. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best-"

"Actually," Percival boldly interrupted. "It sounds like you'd fit in better with Ravenclaw. They prize intelligence and wit above all else just as Gryffindor prizes bravery and honesty, Slytherin prizes ambition and cunning, and Hufflepuff prizes hard work and loyalty. We Weasleys are usually Gryffindors- the red matches our hair, as the twins say."

"Well, I was about to say Ravenclaw doesn't sound too bad," Hermione commented, nettled. "Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."

With an impressive swish of her cloak she left, Neville trailing timidly behind. Ron folded his arms huffily across his chest. "Whatever House she's in, I hope I'm not in it."

"Of course not," Percival replied amusedly. Ron just eyed Percival darkly, as if trying to decipher the subtext in Percival's comment.

To change the subject Percy commented, "You know, I don't know if anyone told me what Bill and Charlie do for a living. I know Mr. Weasley works at the Ministry of Magic with Muggles and enchanted Muggle artifacts."

"Bill's a curse breaker working for Gringotts in Africa while Charlie's in Romania working with dragons," Percival replied. Percy leaned back. "Dragons? Wow…"

"Yep," agreed Percival. Ron turned towards Percy. "Oh, have you picked a Quidditch team yet?"

"No," sighed Percy. For weeks Ron had been trying to convert Percy into a Quidditch fan but Percy just didn't see the interest in a sport that involved flying. "Please drop it, Ron."

Ron just huffed and sulked. Percival got out his wand and started practicing a couple of minor spells that Percy still found fascinating to watch. But Percival stopped when the door opened yet again.

It wasn't Hermione or Neville though. It was a narrow-faced boy with hair so pale it was nearly white. He was framed by two bulky and mean-looking boys. He stared at Percy with an almost hungry expression.

"Is it true? They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

"Yes," lied Percy. "I'm Harry and these two are Percival and Ron Weasley. I'm afraid I don't know you three's names."

"Oh, this is Crabbe and that's Goyle," he replied carelessly. "And my name is Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Draco looked down at the two redheads. "My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."

"Well, our father said Malfoys don't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side," snapped Ron. Ignoring him, Draco turned to Percy.

"You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

Warily Percy said, "You expect me to be friends with you after you insulted the family I've been living with most of the summer? With them right in front of you? You're either really brave or really stupid, Draco. You'd better leave while there's hope for me to think you're brave."

Draco's cheeks turned pink. "I'd be careful if I were you, Potter. Unless you're a bit politer-"

Percy laughed. "Coming from you? Sorry, but that's just rich."

"True," agreed Percival. "I _am_ a prefect, Malfoy. Good thing we're not at school yet otherwise I'd have to report you to Snape."

"Quite right," agreed Fred as he leaned against the open door. George appeared from behind him, commenting, "I take it he mentioned how many of us there are?"

Percy, Ron, and Percival nodded. George's grin widened. "See, that's the lovely thing of being a large family. We can take on any threats to any of us easily. Sure, we don't have a lot of money but I wouldn't trade any of my siblings for a bucket of Galleons."

"Hear, hear," agreed Fred, getting out his wand. Percival and Ron stood up warningly. Draco sneered, "Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?"

"Nah, you three are just puny first years," Fred dismissed him, squeezing into the compartment. "Right, George?"

"Right," agreed his twin, wiggling past Crabbe. "So you might as well leave unless you want to be civil."

Draco's eyes flickered between the quintet and then raised his chin high. "Come on, Crabbe, Goyle. Let's so get some more sweets. These… Weasleys are too poor to buy any."

Ron flushed red but Percival placed a hand on his shoulder as the trio left. "It hurts a lot but he's worse off. He has to put down others to make himself feel good."

"At least we don't mean to hurt others- it's just collateral damage," agreed George, Fred nodding in agreement.

Percival just sat back down. "So why are you two here?"

"Eh, we heard you left the prefects' compartments and figured you were here corrupting Ronniekins and Perseus," shrugged George.

Fred rammed an elbow into his twin's ribs. "Harry! We're not at the Burrow anymore."

"Oh, right. Sorry."

Just then the door opened back up and Hermione poked her head in. "What was going on?"

"Nothing," grumbled Ron, plopping Scabbers back onto his lap. Percival shrugged, "Nothing much, like Ron said."

"You can go now," Ron suggested 'helpfully'.

Hermione looked at the twins, Ron, and Percy with a sniff. "All right. I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors. And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"

Ron just glowered at her. She told them, "You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there."

"She's right," Percival commented, looking out at the scenery which showed a setting sun, mountains, and forests. With a curt nod Hermione left. Ron muttered something under his breath. The four put on their robes over their steel grey uniforms and the Weasley boys started to discuss Quidditch to Percy's exhaustion when a voice echoed throughout the train.

"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

Percy and Ron exchanged nervous looks but the older boys were clearly excited to be back at school. The train slowed down and stopped. Everyone hurried out onto a tiny, dark platform. The sun was all but gone and the air was nippy. Then a lamp held by a giant of a man appeared and he called out, "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"

The twins and Percival waved goodbye and headed off in another direction as Ron and Percy followed the giant's voice. In a whisper Percy asked Ron as they went down a steep, narrow path, "Who's that?"

"The gamekeeper, Hagrid. All my brothers think he's great," Ron whispered back. "He's bigger than I thought he'd be. I mean, they said he was big but wow!"

"Yeah," muttered Percy. Somewhere nearby they could hear Neville sniffling. The tense atmosphere prevented conversation.

From over his shoulder Hagrid called, "Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec, jus' round this bend here."

Without warning, the path opened onto the beach of a huge dark lake. Across it on a mountain was something out of a fairy tale. Percy marveled at the gigantic castle with its many turrets and towers and lit windows. Pulled up onto the shore was a fleet of little boats which Hagrid pointed out, saying, "No more'n four to a boat!"

Crabbe and Goyle were big enough that Draco didn't need to worry about a fourth joining them in their boat, while Percy and Ron joined Hermione and Neville in another boat. Being so large Hagrid had a boat to himself.

"Everyone in!" he shouted. "Right then- FORWARD!"

The boats sailed silently across the lake, the resulting ripples the only motion on it. The massive castle seemed to be looking down at them. The only light, due to the overcast sky, was Hagrid's lamp. Percy shivered, and not due to the cold. He almost felt torn between the castle knowing he wasn't supposed to be here and the feeling he had been here before. But as they neared as the cliff, Hagrid called out, "Heads down!"

All the first years bent their heads down as their boats reached an ivy curtain concealing a tunnel in the cliff that led to an underground harbor. Uneasily Percy and the others exited the boat onto rocks and pebbles. A toad hopped out of one of the boats.

"Trevor!" Neville exclaimed brightly, capturing the errant toad. Holding the amphibian close to his chest Neville followed Percy and Ron up a passageway hewn from the rock. The only light remained Hagrid's lamp as they went up and out onto the Hogwarts' grassy front lawn. Nearby was a giant double oaken door which Hagrid went up to.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

"I have a name", grumbled Trevor the toad as Neville nodded.

Percy muffled a groan and resisted doing a face-palm as Hagrid knocked thrice on the door. Maybe he had turned into Dr. Dolittle as well as a wizard because the Weasleys had stressed that being able to talk to any animal was a rare gift.


	7. Chapter 7: The Sorting Hat

Yeah, I don't own either one.

Sometimes I do accidentally almost write Harry here and Percy over there in the other fic. Weird, right? Well, not so much under the circumstances I guess…

Oh: Happy Chinese New Year! Dragons are epic and will keep the world from ending.

EDITED by Mellie Erdmann.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seven: The Sorting Hat<strong>

As if waiting for Hagrid's knock the door opened. On the other side was Professor McGonagall in crimson robes. She looked as stern as ever so Percy decided not to wave.

Hagrid smiled, "The firs' years, Professor McGonagall."

"Thank you, Hagrid," she nodded. "I will take them from here."

Pulling the doors wide open, Professor McGonagall let the first years in. Percy was impressed by the massive entrance hall, barely restraining an urge to see if he could let out an echo especially with a barely visible ceiling. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches and there was a sleek marble staircase leading to the upper floors. Percy had to mutter to Ron, "Feels like we're back in medieval times."

"Hogwarts _was_ constructed roughly a thousand years ago," Hermione pointed out promptly. "It's in _Hogwarts, A History_."

"Uh-huh," went Percy as Ron rolled his eyes.

Professor McGonagall led them across the stone floor, there was the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right but she instead escorted them to a small chamber off the hall. Crowding in, the first years stood close together due to their mutual anxiety.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall stated. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts."

Percy flinched, remembering his mom. Otherwise the speech was getting boring.

"You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Her brown eyes lingered on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and Ron's smudged nose. Percy didn't even bother trying to flatten his hair- even drenched it was a spiky mess. Prior to leaving and shutting the door behind her Professor McGonagall said, "I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly."

"So how are we sorted into houses?" questioned someone with an Irish accent. Ron and Neville exchanged dubious looks, and even Draco looked tense.

Hermione admitted, "That wasn't covered in _Hogwarts, A History_. I suppose it involves a test to see which house you'd fit best into."

"A test? I'm not good at tests," frowned Percy.

Hermione was already muttering about all the knowledge she had already accumulated. Too nervous to talk, Percy instead started to list all the Greek gods he could remember from Mr. Brunner's class. He had settled down somewhat when several people screamed. Wheeling around, Percy saw that about twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and semitransparent, they glided across the room debating among themselves and seemingly not noticing the first years. A fat little monk ghost was stating, "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance-"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he's deserved? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost- I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost in Elizabethan attire had suddenly realized the first years' petrified presence. Smiling, the fat Friar commented, "New students! About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few nodded, Hermione among them.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house, you know."

"Hufflepuff sounds good," muttered Percy. "He seems friendly enough- loyal, too."

Sharply Professor McGonagall's voice came. "Move along now. The Sorting Ceremony is about to start."

Seeing the returned Deputy Headmistress, the ghosts floated away one by one through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line and follow me," she commanded the first years. Percy got behind Ron, with Neville and Hermione behind him. All together they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through another pair of double doors into the Great Hall. Percy was fairly certain his jaw dropped at the sight of it.

Instead of torches, the Hall was hit by thousands of candles hovering in mid-air. There were four long tables where the rest of the students were sitting, laid out with golden plates and settings. Dotted among the students were the ghosts emitting a silvery light. At the front of the hall was a fifth table where all the teachers were sitting where Professor McGonagall led them to stand in front of. Neville squeaked as he looked up, and doing the same Percy saw that there was no visible ceiling but rather the clearing night sky.

Hermione whispered, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in _Hogwarts, A History_."

Percy doubted there was a ceiling but that the Great Hall just opened up to the overhead sky. But everyone focused their attention on Professor McGonagall when she silently placed a four-legged stool in between the teachers' table and the first years. On top of the stool she placed a patched, frayed, dirty pointed wizard's hat.

Percy wondered if they had to get something- maybe a rabbit- out of the hat. For a few seconds there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched and a rip opened wide like a mouth. That's when the hat started to sing in a decent enough voice, if a bit scratchy.

"_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The entire hall burst into applause and the hat bowed to each of the four tables before falling quite still again. Percy gently nudged Ron into the ribs.

"See? No troll!"

"Not funny," Ron whispered back. "I'm going to get the twins for that…"

Percy shrugged, curious about which House he'd be best suited for. Ravenclaw was out of the running for sure but the other three… well, maybe. Once more Professor McGonagall stepped forward, now holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted. Abbott, Hannah!"

A girl with a pink face and blonde pigtails stumbled out of line and put on the hat, which fell over her eyes, before sitting down. After a moment the hat called out, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

The Hufflepuff table cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit with them. The Fat Friar ghost waved merrily at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Brocklehurst, Mandy!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Brown, Lavender!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Bulstrode, Millicent!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

Percy had to admit, quite a few of the Slytherins looked 'Dark' but others looked friendly enough, if a bit sly. When he refocused on the Sorting-

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Finnigan, Seamus!"

After a minute of deliberation the hat decided, "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Granger, Hermione!"

After nearly a minute the hat shouted, "RAVENCLAW!"

Ron looked somewhere between disappointment and relief as Hermione dashed off eagerly to the Ravenclaw table. Percy gave the wan Neville a thumbs-up when it was his turn. After a few minutes the hat called out, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Neville nearly left with the hat still on and had to run back to give it to McGonagall for Morag MacDougal who was sorted into Ravenclaw. The hat barely touched Draco's head before it declared him a Slytherin, same as Crabbe and Goyle.

Anxiously Percy waited, until: "Potter, Harry!"

As Percy approached the hat he heard whispers break out behind him. He hated this, hated lying about who he was. Hopefully someone had explained the situation to the hat. Percy sat down on the stool and had the hat cover his eyes when put on his head.

"Hmm…" went a small voice in his ear. "A bit tricky. Plenty of courage, I see. But a stronger sense of justice and loyalty so it's plain to me…"

The voice cried out, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

Taking off the hat shakily, Percy went over to the Hufflepuff table, relieved that the hat hadn't even touched on him not being a real wizard or Harry Potter. The cheering seemed a bit excessive, but Percy just collapsed next to a good-looking older boy since it was the closest available seat.

As the Sorting Ceremony continued Percy got a good look at the High Table. Hagrid had taken a seat at the end. In the center of the High Table, serenely observing everything and everyone, was Headmaster Dumbledore. He also saw his new House Head Sprout along with Flitwick and Snape. Next to Snape was a nervous young man in a purple turban. There were others up there as well but then Percy noticed that there were only four people left to be Sorted.

"Thomas, Dean!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Turpin, Lisa!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

And then it was Ron's turn, who had turned a sort of pale green by now. "Weasley, Ronald!"

"GRYFFINDOR!" cried out the hat, and Ron joined his siblings at the Gryffindor table. Lastly Professor McGonagall commented, "Zabini, Blaise!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

After that Professor McGonagall rolled up the scroll and took the Sorting Hat away. His stomach rumbled, so Percy stared at his distorted reflection in the golden plate. Those sandwiches felt eternities ago. As Professor McGonagall took her seat to Dumbledore's right, a beaming Dumbledore got to his feet. His arms open wide he made a speech.

"Welcome! Welcome to a new year to Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

And he sat back down with everyone clapping and cheering. Percy went along with it, utterly confused, until he noticed all the platters were now filled with food. Brightly the older boy next to him offered, "Pork chops?"

"Sure," agreed Percy. Among other things there was roast beef, roast chicken, lamb chops, sausages, bacon, steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and peppermints shaped like bugs. Percy piled up his plate before checking out his goblet, which could be filled by any of several pitchers full of beverages.

A nearby seventh year commented, "Slytherins have won the House Championship six years in the row, let's not make it seven. I mean, we can do it."

When everyone had had their fill, the food's remains faded away, leaving the plates shining clean again. Then the desserts showed up: lots and lots of ice cream, apple pies, chocolate éclairs, jam doughnuts, strawberries, blueberries, and more. Percy grabbed a bunch of blueberries and blue cotton candy flavored ice cream. As he ate he told the boy next to him, "I'm Harry."

"I know," chuckled the older boy. "My family lives near the Burrow- I'm Cedric Diggory."

The conservation among the first years turned to their families. Percy stayed quiet and just listened.

"I'm a Half-blood," smiled Hannah. "Muggle mum, wizard dad."

"My mom was Muggleborn but my dad was a pureblood- what does that make me?" asked Harry curiously. Justin, a boy with curly hair that reminded Percy of Grover, shrugged. "Half-blood?"

"Half-blood," muttered Percy with a smile. "Cool."

"So am I," grinned a blonde boy. "I'm Wayne."

"It's a pity you all _just_ missed Tonks, she was great," laughed Cedric. All around them, even the second years, started to laugh and recount stories brightly. Percy only heard a few due to all the laughter and talking about her.

"Remember that time she tripped and somehow knocked over ALL the cauldrons during Potions class?"

"I heard that during her first flying lesson she crashed through a window and broke the hourglasses," snorted a sixth year. A seventh year girl giggled, "True! Her yearmates were so impressed."

"And what about that time she mimicked Professor McGonagall for a whole day when the real one had a cold?" snorted a third year.

Ernie frowned, "She used Polyjuice Potion?"

"Nope," chorused everyone within hearing.

Ernie looked like he wanted to ask more questions about this Tonks person but then the desserts disappeared, Dumbledore rose, and the whole hall fell respectfully quiet.

"Ahem- just a few more words now that we all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

A surprising number of older students looked over at the Weasley twins, even Dumbledore himself. Percy had to stifle a snort.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Percy decided then and there that this was going to be an awesome school. Practically everyone else looked a bit concerned, even the prefects looked baffled, although a couple of people laughed nervously. With a smile Dumbledore told them, "And now, bedtime! Away you go!"

Percy followed the older students down towards the basement along with the Slytherins, though the Slytherins soon went deeper into the dungeons. A Hufflepuff prefect told a still life painting of fruit, "Merlin."

"We use a different famous wizard each month for our password," whispered a distracted Cedric. Hannah pouted, "I heard there was a school song."

"I know," muttered Cedric as the painting swung open. "Usually we sing it right before the Welcome Feast ends. I don't know why we didn't this year."

The Hufflepuff commons room had a squat brick fireplace with a roaring fire. The decorations were primarily black and yellow, even the furniture when not wood or stone. And the room seemed rather round, with two round wooden doors leading down to the dormitories. The one to the left was the girls' and the one to the right was the boys'.

Down the spiraling staircase Percy and the other first-year boys went. Towards the bottom they found their canopy beds: cherry with yellow silk curtains. Their trunks and pets were already there, so sleepily everyone got into their pajamas.

"_Night, Catalina_," Percy quietly whispered to his snake under the bed.

"_Night, Percy_," she hissed back.

And despite the enjoyable evening, Percy might have shed a tear or two for being farther away from home than anyone else in the castle.

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><p><span>All right: I made Percy a Hufflepuff not just because it's my favorite house (badgers are awesome) but because it also made sense story wise. Percy's strongest strength and weakness is his LOYALTY something which in its first-heard song the Sorting Hat says Hufflepuffs have. And in the elemental tradition, Slytherin is water, Ravenclaw air, Gryffindor fire, and Hufflepuff earth. Percy is not very fiery, but he is the son of the Earthshaker. <span>

As for Hermione, well, I figured her chat with Percy might have swayed her to lean towards Ravenclaw in-story and out-of-story I want to develop a four member team with each member from a different House.

Also, the round Hufflepuff doors are JK Rowling's… fanon? Canon? Word of God? I dunno.


	8. Chapter 8: The Potions Master

Disclaimer: Nope.

Over time, I am going to deviate further and further from what went down in the actual books (though the same number of people will die, some people who lived canonically will die and people who died will live; others will just die either way). But for now neither Harry nor Percy has changed all that much (we're less than ten chapters in per book after all).

Also, this is my birthday weekend. YAY!

EDITED by Mellie Erdmann.

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><p><strong>Chapter Eight: The Potions Master<strong>

Percy quickly realized that the deception of him being Harry Potter had actually been quite necessary. Everywhere he went there were awed whispers about the Boy Who Lived. This unfortunately led to him getting lost more often than the other first years because he kept getting distracted not just because of his now-slight ADHD but also because of all the attention.

Ernie had quickly informed them that there were 142 staircases at Hogwarts. Hannah insisted there must be two other ones somewhere in the castle so there would be a 'gross' of staircases. Justin only wished they'd behave like Muggle staircases: some of them led to different places on different days, others had a vanishing step somewhere on them, and a few that let out musical notes when stepped on. But the doors were even more problematic: some were actually paintings, others needed passwords, and a few wanted tickled before opening. At least Hufflepuff's commons room was close enough to the Great Hall getting to breakfast wasn't a problem.

Nonetheless the first year Hufflepuffs had banded together in order to find their way throughout the castle, with help as needed from the upper classmen. In addition to Percy, Ernie, Hannah, Justin, Megan, and Wayne there were Brock Hearth, Merrick Fudge, Meredith Fudge, Willow Belvane, Henry Shacklebolt, and Gwenyth Lupin.

And even if Percy didn't get lost, the classes themselves were… different, to say the least. About the only class that seemed remotely 'normal' was History of Magic, which everybody agreed was the most boring class of all. On Tuesday night there had been Astronomy where everyone looked up and tried to find the constellations.

The schedule had them down for Herbology with their House Head three days a week, and on the other two days they had Charms with the Slytherins. Professor McGonagall had impressed everyone by turning her desk into a pig, although she had gone on to warn them that her class would be very difficult. Hufflepuff would have Defense Against the Arts on Thursdays and Fridays, which Percy had been looking forward to until he learned that they would be a joke.

On Wednesday Percy observed, "There are a lot of us, aren't there?"

"Of course there are, anyone isn't particularly brave, wise, or ambitious ends up here," shrugged a second-year condescendingly. Cedric glared at him lightly. "Zacharias, behave yourself."

Zacharias just resumed eating. Sleepily Brock protested, "We have double Potions today with Ravenclaw. I hear Snape only likes Slytherins."

"It feels like Slytherins only like Slytherins," joked Justin. The other first years had to laugh at that.

So after breakfast the first-year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws went down deep in the dungeons for Potions where Professor Snape was awaiting them. Close up, Snape was rather disorienting with his black garb, greasy black hair, sallow skin, long hooked nose, and dark eyes. And the wary glower he was giving Percy was not helping matters at all.

After taking roll Snape made a speech.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Percy actually figured under all the snark that Potions might actually be fun. He'd always liked water and liquids. Hermione looked outright frantic in her evident desire to prove herself not a dunderhead.

"So… can anyone tell me what Felix Felicis is?"

Remembering Mr. Brunner's Latin class, Percy raised his hand. So did Hermione but Snape zoned in on Harry.

"Potter?"

"Something about using a potion to become lucky?"

"… Two points to Hufflepuff. It is a potion to evoke good luck in the drinker. Now, where could you find a bezoar?"

Two Ravenclaws, Hermione and an Asian girl with her black hair in a plait raised their hands this time.

"Li."

"It's a stone in the stomach of a goat."

"Correct. Five points to Ravenclaw." Snape asked a third question. "What part of a unicorn is strictly forbidden unless you want to live a cursed life?"

Everyone looked confused except for Hermione who raised her hand so high she nearly left her seat. After looking around the classroom, Snape sighed. "Granger?"

"Unicorn blood."

"Correct. Another three points to Ravenclaw. And why aren't you all writing this down?"

Hurriedly the Hufflepuffs got out parchment and a quill to write down these facts, though most of the Ravenclaws already had paper out and the few that didn't got the needed materials out fast enough.

The rest of Potions class was spent working on a simple potion to cure boils in pairs. Percy liked the fact he got to crush things for class. And despite a severe sneer, Snape didn't find anything wrong with the potion Percy and Merrick made.

After classes he met up with the Weasleys in the Great Hall. Fred and George were discussing Zonko's products, Ron was eating a Chocolate Frog, and Percival was reading the Daily Prophet with a frown.

"What's with Percival?" Percy asked Ron. Ron swallowed and said, "They still haven't figured out who tried to break into that Gringrotts vault. I mean, it was emptied earlier the same day the attempt was made- lucky break, really."

"Not for the wannabe thief," sniggered George. Rolling up the paper, Percival smacked him on the head with it. "Not amusing."

"So, what do you want to do?" inquired Fred.

With a diabolical grin George suggested, "Maybe we could fulfill our promise to Ginny."

"What promise?" wondered Ron. Fred rolled his eyes. "To send her a Hogwarts toilet seat, of course!"

"I don't recall you two promising her that," Percival commented suspiciously.

George swung an arm around his older brother. "But it was strongly implied. And we don't want to disappoint our baby sister, do we?"

"You two never sent _me_ a Hogwarts toilet seat," grumbled Ron.

Fred beamed, "But we did send you a Hogwarts goblet."

"True."

"Well, if you two are going to insist on this, use Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. At least that way its absence won't be noticed for a while," Percival warned the twins. Fred and George looked put out. The former protested, "But it needs to be a Weasley endeavor, not a Weasley twin endeavor!"

"But I'm a prefect!"

"Can I come?" asked Ron hopefully.

"Duh," went Fred. Ron looked very pleased with himself. Burying his face into his palms, Percival complained, "I'm going to have to come along just to make sure you all don't blow up the bathroom, aren't I?"

"Yes," agreed the twins.

Percy went, "So… should I pretend I heard nothing?"

"Aren't you coming?" Ron asked in surprise.

Percy replied, "Well, if you guys want me to come I'd be happy to."

"Of course!" shouted the twins, making a passing Ravenclaw prefect look at them oddly. Percival turned as red as a tomato.

"Let's get this over with."

So the group headed up to a girl's bathroom. It was silent. Fred rubbed his hands together. "Excellent. Someone must have accidentally flushed Moaning Myrtle down into the lake again. George, put up Muffliato."

"_Muffliato_," George cast the spell accordingly. Fred picked out a toilet at the end.

"Let's see… now, how to-"

"_Reducto_," Percival pointed his wand at the bottom of said toilet, causing its lower half to break into pieces. The toilet seat however was in one piece. Fred and George stared at Percival.

"Excuse us?"

"What?" Percival grumbled. "I just want this over with."

Picking up the toilet seat gingerly George commented, "We ought to wash it before sending it home."

"Yeah," agreed Ron distractedly, looking around. "Wow, so this is a girl's bathroom?"

As the twins washed the toilet seat Percival observed, "I think we need a box so Mum can't tell what it is."

"I'll go get one," volunteered Ron excitedly and he ran off. Fred and George had finished drying the seat by the time he returned with an empty box that had formerly held Filibuster Fireworks. Percy had been trying to master 'reparo' to repair the damage Percival had done to the toilet with limited success. Percival wrote a quick note to Ginny to put in the box while the others packed the toilet seat into the box.

"I'll go to the Owlery and give this to Athena to send to Ginny," Percival stated. "Everyone will wonder if we all go or if the twins go."

"Right," agreed the twins.

Ron grinned, "Ginny will love it!"

Percival shook his head, as if wondering what insanity he had succumbed to. "I just hope Mum doesn't find out… she'd kill us."


	9. Chapter 9: The Midday Duel

All right, time to go a little further off the rails. Without me owning anything but the plot bunny.

And Mellie Erdmann edited and reminded me that surname usage dominates in Hogwarts.

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><p><strong>Chapter Nine: The Midday Duel<strong>

Percy woke up early on Friday thanks to a nightmare and as he entered the Great Hall he saw Percival sneaking about, broomstick in hand. Curious, he greeted the older boy. Jumping, Percival saw him.

"Oh, hello there, Harry. Um, hello. How are you?"

"All right," Percy shrugged, eyeing the battered school broom. "Thinking of trying out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team?"

"Yes- as long as the twins don't laugh me off the field."

"Well, good luck with that," Percy told the redhead. "Me, I'm going to go have breakfast."

"The food isn't ready yet," Percival pointed out.

"Okay… can I come along with you, then?"

"Sure," Percival smiled weakly. "You can toss the golf balls instead of me enchanting them to fly."

"Cool," went Percy. He followed the older boy out to the Quidditch pitch. It was large and oval-shaped. The seats surrounding it were raised. Percival tossed him a bag of golf balls.

"Just throw these as hard as you can, as far as you can, and switch up the directions when you can."

Percy threw the golf balls for Percival, who caught about half of them. Then the two headed back in for breakfast once Percival put away the school broom; since it was still fairly early Percy snuck into the seat next to Percival's at the Gryffindor table.

"Well, that was fun," Percy commented, grabbing some bacon. He already had his usual blue-colored orange juice and scrambled eggs. Percival smiled weakly.

"I guess. I could have done better… academics come easier to me. Besides, I'm probably the worse at Quidditch in my family."

"Except for me," joked Percy. Percival looked annoyed. "Very funny."

"Hang on… aren't there seven members to a Quidditch team? So you guys could be a team all by yourselves?"

"When Bill and Charlie were still around, we did do that sometimes. Bill was a Chaser, Charlie was Seeker, I was a Chaser, Fred and George were the Beaters, Ron was the Keeper, and Ginny was the third Chaser. So yeah… I hope I'm good enough for the team."

"Uh-huh. Still don't understand why everyone seems to love all this flying," Percy shook his head as he sipped his orange juice. A burly fifth-year sat down across from Percival.

"You got up early, Percy. And why is a Hufflepuff here?"

"Because in the summer we're roomies," Percy beamed. Percival introduced them, "Wood, this is Harry Potter. Harry, this is Oliver Wood."

"Hi, Harry. Do you like Quidditch?"

"Not really…"

Wood looked put out but he and Percival were soon discussing something called OWLs. The weekend was pretty laid back, considering how early in the year it was. But then Justin pointed out a notice in the Hufflepuff commons room that said that flying lessons with the Ravenclaws would be on Tuesday. Pretty much everyone seemed excited about flying, but Percy was not looking forward to it. Ron told Percy about the time he nearly hit a hang glider with Charlie's broom when he learned about the flying lessons, though he was not looking forward to having them with the Slytherins.

So at three-thirty on Tuesday afternoon the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws went down to the grounds for their flying lesson. It was a cloudy day but it didn't look like it would rain any time soon. Percy wished that it would, because he was not looking forward to flying. Judging from Hermione's expression, neither was her.

All the broomsticks were lined up in neat lines and nearby was the flying teacher. She had clipped grey hair and hawk-like yellow eyes. Sharply she said, "I'm Madam Hooch. Everyone go stand by a broomstick. Hurry up!"

Percy eyed his old and battered broom warily. It didn't make him feel better about flying. He got distracted when Madam Hooch told them, "Stick out your right hand over your broom and say 'UP'!"

"UP!" shouted everyone. Hermione's broom rolled over on the ground and Percy's barely twitched. Next Madam Hooch showed them how to mount their brooms without falling off, correcting their grips as she went through the lines. When that was done, she told them, "Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle: three- two- one!"

The whistle blew.

Percy flew up the bare minimum and crashed back to the ground before anyone else. Bemused, Madam Hooch commented, "You like flying as much as your mom, huh, Potter?"

Percy just blushed furiously as everyone else came back to the ground with varying degrees of grace. Conjuring up a green head-sized ball Madam Hooch told them, "All right. Let's play catch. Hufflepuffs versus Ravenclaws."

Brushing dirt off his robes, Percy got back onto his broom. This was not his idea of fun. After about twenty minutes of throwing around the ball Madam Hooch blew the whistle and got everyone back onto the ground. She told them to leave the brooms and to head back inside. Percy caught up to Hermione as they headed back to the castle.

"So… flying. Not my idea of a good time."

"Not mine either," the bushy-haired girl agreed. Curiously Percy asked, "So, are you liking Ravenclaw?"

"Yes, it's great. I'm learning a lot. How's Hufflepuff?"

"Friendly," grinned Percy. "So, do Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw have to hate one another like Gryffindor and Slytherin do?"

"No. All three of the other Houses seem to dislike Slytherin in everything I've read," Hermione commented. Percy replied, "Weird. I mean, I know You-Know-Who was from there…"

"It goes back to Hogwarts' origins," Hermione shook her head. Abruptly she changed the subject. "Was that your first time on a broom? It was mine."

"Yeah, first time. And hopefully I won't have to do it again anytime soon. So… I grew up with my Muggle relatives. You?"

"My parents are dentists," admitted Hermione. "They were surprised when I turned out to be a witch."

"No kidding? I bet my grandparents were surprised too when they learned my mom was a witch," Percy smiled weakly. It was harder than he expected, pretending to have a totally different family and being Harry Potter. Giving Hermione a weak smile they parted ways once they reached the castle.

After classes on Thursday Percy went down to the lake where he could skip stones and watch the Gryffindor and Slytherin first-years' flying lesson. Under a tree he spotted Hermione with several books, scrolls, and a quill.

"Hey. Wanted to watch too?"

"Yes," nodded Hermione. At first they were bored; from what they could see it was the same as theirs. But then a broom flew up before the whistle blew, flew up over thirty feet before its rider flew into a heap onto the ground. As the broom kept soaring upward, Percy and Hermione hurried over to the edge of the group.

Madam Hooch was helping up Neville, Trevor's owner, both of their faces white. Examining him, she muttered, "Broken wrist. Come on, lad- it's all right, up you get."

Letting Neville lean against her she warned the rest of the class. "None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch'. Come on, lad."

Tears falling down his face from the pain and clutching his wrist, Neville hobbled off with Madam Hooch. Once they were out of earshot Draco burst out laughing.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?"

Some of the other Slytherins joined in on the mean-spirited teasing. A toffee-skinned girl with a long black braid snapped, "Shut up, Malfoy."

An ugly Slytherin girl mocked her, "Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom? Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati."

Ron edged over to the pair. "What are you doing here?"

"Just watching the show," shrugged Percy, eyeing the Slytherins darkly. But then Draco picked up something out of the grass.

"Look."

It was a small crystal ball filled grey smoke. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

"Give it back," Ron snapped. "It's Neville's, not yours. I'll take it up to him in the hospital wing."

Draco smiled nastily. "I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find. How about… up a tree?"

"NO!" yelled Percy and Ron, but Draco had already taken off into the air. Ron made to do the same but Hermione grabbed a hold of his broom.

"Don't you dare. Madam Hooch told us not to move- you'll get us all into trouble."

Ron glared at her, trying to yank the broom out of her grip but Hermione held on tight. Susan told the Gryffindors, "I'll go get Professor McGonagall!"

And she dashed off, her ponytail flapping as she ran. While Ron and Hermione continued their furious tug-of-war over the broom Percy watched Malfoy fly towards a tree off on its own. A brown-haired Slytherin girl gasped in shock, "That's the Whomping Willow!"

Percy groaned and grabbed Dean and Seamus' brooms. "Hermione, Ron. Let's get going. Judging from the name, Malfoy plans to crush Neville's crystal thingy. Professor McGonagall won't be here in time."

Biting her lip, Hermione let go of Ron's broom and protested, "But it's against the rules! And I don't like flying!"

"Neither do I, but I'd rather fly than do nothing!" argued Percy, getting onto the broom. Making a face, Hermione followed the two boys into the air. Malfoy flew faster and further up once he realized that he was being followed.

"Three against one! Just the odds you prefer, eh, Malfoy?" shouted Ron, who was by far the best flyer of the trio. Sneering, Malfoy made to throw the ball.

"Don't you dare!" shouted Hermione, who had seemed to have gotten over her fear of flying and breaking the rules for the time being.

"Why should I listen to a Mudblood?" sneered Draco and he threw the ball. Percy and Hermione were confused, but Ron's face had gone red and he flew straight at Draco. Meanwhile, Percy and Hermione tried to reach the ball but they weren't good enough flyers and they were too far away. Then a fifth flyer swooped in, just barely missing the ball as it lodged itself into a branch. The tree shook itself, readying itself for battle.

"What a sot," groaned Percy, hovering just outside the tree's range. Hermione looked over at him. "Do you even know what that means?"

"No, but it sounds good. Or, bad. Whatever."

Ron was chasing Draco around using words that made Percy grateful Mrs. Weasley was far away, and the redheaded fifth flyer snatched the ball but got whacked by a branch for his trouble. He crashed into the ground just as Professor McGonagall's magnified voice reached them.

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?"

"We're in so much trouble," squeaked Hermione. Percy flew down to land next to the crashed flyer. As he had suspected, Percival had been training again and had noticed the ruckus.

"Ow…" went the older boy, removing his broken glasses. His left arm was at a disturbing angle, and he was developing a range of cuts and bruises. "Stupid Remembrall, causing all this trouble."

"Percival Weasley!" snapped Professor McGonagall as she hurried over. "What is going on?"

Behind her were the other three House Heads. Flitwick borrowed a broom from the brown-haired Slytherin girl to go up after Ron and Draco.

Her expression softening at seeing Percival's condition she helped him to his feet and asked the question again more kindly.

"Oliver and I were doing Quidditch training when I spotted-"

"Percy! Are you okay?" shouted Oliver as he ran over to the group. "We were training for Quidditch when he just flew off! Why do you look like you flew into the Whomping Willow?"

"Because he kind of did," Percy replied wryly. Professor McGonagall's eyes flashed dangerously as Professors Sprout and Snape came over. Percival held up the Remembrall.

"Malfoy tossed it into the tree. I managed to get it out before it got crushed."

"Wait… isn't that Mr. Longbottom's Remembrall Malfoy tried to mess with at breakfast?" Professor McGonagall inquired. Ron nodded quietly. "We just didn't want anything to happen to it, Professor. We were worried that you wouldn't get here in time."

"They have a point," acknowledged Professor Sprout. "It looks like your House was causing trouble again, Severus."

But Professor Snape was looking upward. "Why is the youngest Weasley boy still chasing Malfoy? Flitwick is having trouble getting them down."

"Um, I think it's because he called me a Mudblood. What does that even mean? It wasn't in any of the books I've read," Hermione replied anxiously. Snape's face grew hard.

"He called you _what_?"

The two female Professors exchanged dark looks as well. Percy wondered, "Is it some sort of slur against Muggleborns?"

"Yes, the worst one," nodded Professor Sprout. "Severus-"

"Detentions for a week because of his various crimes," he overrode her. Trembling, Hermione wondered, "Are we in trouble too?"

"I don't think I'll punish Percy Weasley. He was just acting a friend and prefect should. And I won't speak to you or Filius for a week, Minerva, if you two punish Ron Weasley and Miss Granger."

"Breaking the rules for a good cause… isn't really breaking the rules," Professor McGonagall acknowledged. "However no points shall be given."

"I should get Percival to the hospital wing," frowned Oliver. Professor McGonagall nodded curtly. "That would be a good idea."

The two fifth-years slowly began their way back to the castle.

Finally Professor Flitwick got Ron and Draco down to the ground. Panting, he demanded, "What is going on?"

"He called Hermione a mudblood!" Ron raged, looking like he would like to start pounding on Draco. Snape raised his eyebrows coolly at the pale-haired boy.

"So far the evidence seems to point that you took something of Neville's, attempted to destroy it, and called a fellow student a Mudblood."

Draco gulped. "Well…"

"Detention for a week, Malfoy. And forty points from Slytherin- yes, from my own house!"

Draco shot venomous looks at Percy, Ron, and Hermione as he stalked off. Professor Sprout shook her head sadly.

"Keep an eye on him, would you, Severus?"

"Of course, Pomona."

The teachers then left. Quietly, but not quietly enough, Flitwick asked Snape, "It was more for the mudblood comment than trying to destroy the Remembrall, wasn't it?"

Snape didn't reply.

Ron ran a hand through his hair. "Well, I don't know how I'll focus on my homework tonight."

"The three of us could do it together in the library after dinner," suggested Hermione. "That is, if you two want to…"

"Studying with a Ravenclaw? Sounds like a good idea to me!" grinned Percy. Ron nodded his agreement. Hermione looked pleased with herself.

They did the same thing on Friday, on which the Quidditch tryouts were held. Percival did become the Gryffindor Seeker, which pleased the twins greatly- now they had more opportunities to prank their big brother. As he headed back to his Common Room he ran into Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle.

"Hello," Percy nodded curtly but they were blocking the hallway. Draco sneered, "You think you're so great, don't you?"

"Well, I'm not the one who lost forty points for stealing a fellow student's property and calling another student a bad name," Percy pointed out snidely. He was really starting to dislike Draco; he was a bit of a male Nancy Bobofit.

"Whatever. Let's see who's really the better wizard- wizard's duel. Wands only, no contact."

Percy smirked. "You're on. We can get Flitwick as referee- he's neutral territory."

"What?" snapped Draco. Feigning innocence Percy commented, "Well, as the one challenged don't I get to pick the time and place? And someone has to make sure we follow the rules."

Draco allowed himself a smile. "This is going to be fun."

"Yes, it will be. But I think we have a weird idea of fun. Noon out on the grounds on Saturday?"

"That sounds good," smirked Draco before he and his two goons shoved their way past Percy. Percy headed off to Flitwick's office.

"Um, Professor? Draco's mad about what happened yesterday, so he challenged me to a duel. Could you referee?"

"You're first years… what in Merlin's name could you two do to one another?"

"Well, then it can't do any harm," Percy commented brightly. Flitwick shook his head, commenting, "This is going to be interesting. When is the duel?"

"Noon on Saturday, out on the grounds," Percy told him. "Thanks, Professor!"

"Don't forget to have a second. Of course, I doubt you or Draco will incapacitate one another but the niceties should be observed."

"Okay," nodded Percy as he left.

So early the next morning he spoke to Ron who instantly agreed to be his second. Hermione was annoyed, but since it had a professor's consent she couldn't argue. So she just started muttering about various low-level spells and hexes Percy could use on Draco.  
>"And Harry, be careful?" she asked as they headed out to the grounds a half-hour until noon.<p>

"I'll try," he nodded. Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were already there. Percy was pleased to note that Draco looked wan. A few minutes later Professor Flitwick showed up, followed by Professor Snape and Sprout. A few other students were watching on, having heard about the duel from Draco and Ron.

As the clock bells chimed loudly, Draco and Percy faced one another with several yards between them. With a flick of his wand the Charms professor created a circle about ten feet wide. Flitwick told them, "First you bow, and then start casting spells at one another. The first one out of the circle or down for a minute loses."

Tautly the two boys bowed to one another, wands out. Draco shot silver sparks at him, which tickled more than anything else. But Percy had looked up a spell he thought could be rather effective.

"Aguamenti!"

A gush of water hit Draco, shoving him out of the circle. Percy whooped, pumping his fist. "I win!"

Ron laughed and cheered as well, and even Hermione clapped. Sullen and soaking wet, Draco sneered as he got to his feet. Professor Snape gave a few Sickles to a smug-looking Professor Sprout. Coming up to him, an amused Cedric told Percy, "You and Tonks really ought to meet."


	10. Chapter 10: Halloween

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. Or Pokémon- also, I looked it up. The first Pokémon game in the US was in 1998.

Edited by Mellie Erdmann.

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><p><strong>Chapter 10: Halloween<strong>

The rest of September passed by in a blur. On the first day of October, a Tuesday, Percy saw Draco sneaking up the stairs after dinner. Ron was busy talking to Sean and Dean (presumably yet another football vs. Quidditch debate) while Hermione was reading a book, so Percy followed Draco alone.

But at the base of the stairs he found Neville clutching his toad Trevor. Curiously he asked, "Where are you going, Potter?"

"Draco is up to something, and I want to make sure that-" Percy began, but then Hermione questioned from behind them, "What are you two doing?"

Neville began to explain he was asking 'Harry Potter' that very question, so Percy dashed up the stairs. He ignored their calls of 'wait up' and hurried upward just in time to see Draco disappear through the entrance to the third floor. Jumping over the trick step, Percy kept going up. He paused in the doorway, Neville and Hermione catching up to him.

"Where's Malfoy?" demanded Hermione. She had been cold towards the Slytherin ever since the flying lesson incident. Neville pointed. "There. He's heading towards the Charms corridor."

The trio followed Malfoy at a distance until he stopped at the door at the end of the corridor. He kept rattling the doorknob and pressing his weight against it. Hermione frowned. "Wait… this is the Charms corridor on the third floor. And that's the left…"

"Malfoy wants to suffer a painful death?" Neville frowned. "That doesn't make any sense."

With a shrug Percy approached the blonde boy. "Hey, Draco. What's up?"

Draco just looked awkward before sneering at him. "None of your business, Potter."

"You aren't supposed to go through this door," pointed Hermione, walking up to the two boys. Neville hovered by the doorway for another thirty seconds before hurrying over to join the cluster.

"Go away," snapped Draco. From the other side of the door came a rumbling growl.

Neville paled. "Something… alive is on the other side of that door. Something big."

Draco got out his wand and tapped it on the handle. "The stupid door is locked."

"Really, Malfoy, the unlocking spell is _Alohomora_, I mean it's not that hard unless you're trying to do wordless magic but that's very advanced-"

Hermione's lecture was cut short by Draco pointing his wand at the brass doorknob and stating clearly, "_Alohomora_!"

The lock clicked and Draco swung the door open as another growl nearly shook the floor. All four sucked in their breath. On the other side was a huge black-furred dog, one so huge that it could barely fit between the floor and ceiling. Even worse, it had three heads, all with drooling mouths full of sharp teeth. Very quietly Neville shut the door just as the heads noticed their presence and the six eyes lit up with eagerness.

"Why would there be a Cerberus in Hogwarts?" wondered Draco.

Interested, Hermione asked, "Why was it standing on a trapdoor?"

"Why was it in Hogwarts?" squeaked out Neville, leaning against the wall.

Percy ruffled his perpetually messy hair. He had a bad feeling about this. "Is there anywhere safer to keep something than Gringotts?"

"Hogwarts," chorused all three. Percy knocked sharply on the door, eliciting a frustrated growl from the dog's heads, replying, "Something fishy is going on here. Probably something involving that attempted theft this summer at Gringotts…"

"Oh!" went Hermione, her eyes widening. "That's it! The vault's owner knew someone was going to try to steal it-"

"So the vault was emptied and whatever it was brought here for safekeeping. The Cerberus is a guard dog…" Neville finished, clutching Trevor to his chest. Flushed, he wondered, "But what could it be?"

"No idea," Draco shrugged, clearly discomforted.

"Look, we need to go study in the library with Ron, Harry," Hermione commented. Percy looked over at Neville and Draco.

"Do you two want to join us? We can do homework and figure out the mystery of the Cerberus. That is, as long as you remain civil, Draco."

Draco looked torn, but finally nodded. "At least she's not stupid like Crabbe and Goyle."

Hermione looked somewhere between offended and amused at Draco's comment. In the end she just muttered a locking spell on the door.

Neville smiled and nodded weakly, still traumatized from the giant three-headed dog. "I'd like that."

So the four made their way to the library, where Ron was at their usual table, flipping idly through the Potions textbook. Hermione dumped her bag of books on the table.

"We made a truce with Draco after he inadvertently helped us realize what's going on with the attempted Gringotts break-in."

Ron glowered at the pale-haired boy. "As long as he doesn't insult my family or you, Hermione, I guess I won't hex him."

Draco just sneered at him as he sat down opposite the redhead. Hermione sat down next to Ron while Neville took the seat on Ron's other side. That left Percy with the seats on either side of Draco, so he went with the one to the right.

"So what is with the Gringotts break-in?" asked Ron.

Hermione explained, "The vault's owner knew there'd be a successful break-in eventually so he had the item taken out before that could happen and it is now somewhere past the forbidden corridor on the third floor, guarded by a Cerberus."

"Wait… a Cerberus?" blinked Ron. "Aren't those giant three-headed dogs?"

Neville nodded, putting Trevor on the table. He gulped, "It was scary."

Draco snorted and rolled his eyes at the obviousness of Neville's comment, so Percy gave him a warning glare. After a few minutes of theorizing of what the item could be that it was so valuable to multiple wizards, the five got down to their homework.

For the next several days their study group met after dinner until Ron persuaded Hermione that next Friday they should go out to do their homework in the Quidditch bleachers to watch the Gryffindor team practice. As there were two Gryffindors, a Hufflepuff who liked the Weasleys, and a Slytherin who thought it would be a prime opportunity to snark, Hermione was severely outnumbered.

So as the sun lowered in the sky the quintet of first-years made their way out to the Quidditch field. As they did their History essays, Percy watched the seven swoop around on their brooms. Casually he commented, "I still don't get the big deal about Quidditch."

Ron groaned and shook his head disappointedly at Percy while Draco looked at him affronted.

"It's the greatest sport of all time!"

"Please, hacky sack is a better game. Heck, even Pokémon is a better game," Percy scoffed. The other four just looked at him funny. Even Hermione, which made Percy realize to his horror that Pokémon might not exist yet. The cornerstone of Percy's pop culture… gone. Time travel sucked when you were going back in time.

"It's a Muggle thing… whatever. I still don't get the roles of the players," Percy grumbled.

Neville looked bemused. "It's not that hard to understand, Harry. There's the Keeper, the Seeker, two Beaters, and three Chasers."

"Yeah, but what do they do?" grumbled Percy. Ron shook his head sadly, his eyes on his older brothers playing out on the field. "We kept trying to explain it to you, but you kept going off out of boredom."

Draco shook his head at Percy. Folding his arms across his chest, Percy defended himself. "I can't believe there are four balls in the game. Isn't one enough?"

"But they all serve different purposes," an exasperated Draco told Percy. "The Quaffle is used to score points through the three hoops guarded by the Keeper. But they're thrown by the Chasers."

"The hoops look like the bubble making wands Muggle kids like to play with," observed Hermione airily as she did her Charms homework. Looking at the closer trio of fifty-foot-tall hoops Percy had to laugh, "You're right, Hermione! How could I have missed it!"

"Bubble making wands?" Draco echoed in confusion. An angry Ron told him, "Sticks Muggle kids use to blow bubbles with some solution. Dad told me about them."

"Oh. Of course."

Ron gave the blonde boy a death glare before turning back to Percy. "Anyway, Harry, the two Bludgers zoom around trying to knock the players off their brooms. The Beaters have short, squat bats to use to keep the Bludgers away from their team's players and towards the opposing team's members."

"And then there's the Snitch," Draco interrupted. "The Seeker has to be the fastest player on the team, because the Snitch is a small, fast ball. Catching it results in ending the game and a one-hundred fifty points to the catcher's team. But if the other team's players are good enough, they can still win."

"Whatever. It's confusing and I don't like flying," Percy grumbled. Neville nodded his fervent agreement.

Draco gave Percy an odd look. "What about **that** day, Potter?"

"Not stopping bullying is worse," Percy shrugged, finishing his History essay.

Draco looked over at Neville. "By the way, sorry for stealing your Remembrall. I guess you can't help but be clumsy."

"Yeah. Whenever I mess up in Herbology, Hannah tells me funny stories she heard from the older students about someone named Tonks," Neville smiled. "Apparently she's really clumsy too."

"She can come to your study group if you invite her," offered Hermione. "It'd be nice to not be the only girl in the group."

"I could do a gender reversal spell on Ron if you want," Draco offered in apparent seriousness.

Ron slugged him in the arm. "Not funny, you prat!"

"I thought it was funny," Neville commented, earning himself a glare from Ron. Hermione was biting down on her lower lip hard, clearly trying not to laugh. Percy just watched the three girls swoop around with the red ball, the twins bash at the two black balls, Oliver guard the three hoops, and Percival fly around in search of a ball so small Percy couldn't see it anywhere.

"I'd want to be Keeper," Ron commented dreamily as he doodled on his History essay parchment. "You get to guard the hoops and you don't have to be a particularly fancy flyer to be good in the position."

"I'd want to be Seeker," Draco commented wishfully. "You get to zoom around and be the most well-known member of the team."

Ron made a face at Draco but apparently couldn't argue with that. Brightly Percy commented, "So Percival is a great Quidditch player if he got to be Seeker?"

Eying the redhead swoop around Draco conceded, "I guess he doesn't stink at being a Seeker."

Considering how a month ago Draco viewed all Weasleys as utter blood traitors, Percy would accept the viewpoint change for the time being.

"I like watching Quidditch," Neville acknowledged. "But I'm not much for flying… my family confirmed I had magic when my great-uncle Algie dropped me out a window and I bounced down the road. He got me a toad as a result."

Draco snorted. "I bet your parents loved that."

Neville just looked uncomfortable and asked Hermione about a question for his Potions homework. Percy split his attention three ways: a third on the practicing Gryffindor Quidditch team, a third on his homework, and a third on Ron and Draco arguing fiercely about the various professional Quidditch teams.

The five continued to meet after dinner to do their homework together and discuss their days, with no one inviting anyone else. The classes were starting to get really interesting now that the basic groundwork had been laid out. Ron, Hermione, and Draco liked to get into three-way debates that left Neville and Percy scooting over to the next table. The first time Draco sided with Hermione (against Ron when he claimed Potions was stupid) Percy felt was a huge step forward in Draco not viewing non-purebloods as trash.

On Halloween morning, Percy woke up to the smell of baking pumpkin that made his stomach growl loudly. This amused Catalina, the snake sleepily commenting, "_To you pumpkin isss like ratsss_?"

"_No_…" replied Percy as he did his black and yellow tie. Maybe the British stuffiness was rubbing off on him, but he thought he looked pretty spiffy in a tie. Or at least Harry did, anyway. In Charms class Professor Flitwick announced that they were going to learn how to make objects fly. First they split into pairs; Harry went over to the Slytherin side to team up with Draco, earning him a smile from the pale-haired boy although the other Hufflepuffs and Slytherins looked horrified. Nearby Crabbe and Goyle looked moments away from hexing the both of them.

"I haven't hung out with them much this month, Potter," Draco confided as they practiced the wrist flicking required for the spell. "They think I'm going soft and turning into a blood traitor… maybe I am but… but it's not that bad, really. You all are smarter than them, especially Granger. I'd rather hang out with a brilliant Muggleborn than two moronic purebloods."

Since Draco seemed to be talking more to himself than to Percy, Percy only nodded quietly.

"Remember, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing," the professor squeaked out the top of his stack of books. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words correctly is very important as well: never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 'f' instead of 's' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

Both Draco and Percy struggled with the spell even though they were only using it on a feather. Across the room, Justin and Ernie were struggling as well although Hannah and Megan looked like they were getting the hang of it. Crabbe and Goyle were more interested in snacking on some Chocolate Frogs they had snuck into class, although one hopped off and through a window.

"_Windgardium Leviosa_!" Draco tried again, swishing dramatically. With a wicked grin at Draco Percy tried, "Windgardium Leviofa!"

Nothing happened to their disappointment. By the end of the class they had each gotten it up a few inches but that was all. Daphne Greengrass had gotten it up a foot or so, earning Slytherin three points from Flitwick.

The rest of the day passed quietly until Percy went down to the Great Hall for dinner, which had been decorated for Halloween. Thousands of bats flew around or perched on the walls and ceiling. Jack-o-lanterns were the lighting, the candles flickering. Then Percy saw the big bowls of candy scattered on the tables. There were lots of wizarding candy, including a lot of blue candy. Candy, blue candy in particular, had always made Percy think of his mom. Now he realized he hadn't seen her in months, and might never see her again.

Fighting back tears, Percy ran from the Great Hall and hid himself in the nearest bathroom he found, careless of if it was a boys' bathroom or a girls'. He curled in a ball and took deep breaths, trying not to cry.

He would see his mom again. He would. He had to. She was his mom. Besides, as fun as Hogwarts was, he couldn't stay in the wizarding world forever. He had to get home, to his own world and family. And once he knew of the wizarding world, Percy was sure Harry would gladly take his place as one of its greatest living heroes. But right now, he just wished they had never switched. He missed his mom, he missed Grover, and he missed the Big Apple in general.

Then he started to smell something odd. Looking around, Percy realized he was in a girl's bathroom. Maybe they smelled weird and he was just hadn't noticed before due to his bout of homesickness. But as the smell got worse, Percy started to worry that the Cerberus wasn't the only monster within Hogwarts. It smelled like old socks and something really nasty.

Then a twelve-foot-tall biped stomped its way into the bathroom. It had dull gray skin, a lumpy rock-like body, and a small bald head. Its legs were thick and ended in flat, clawed feet. And the creature was holding a huge club that must have come from a tree trunk. Its long ears waggled as it noticed Percy.

He yelped in shock, reaching for his wand. The creature headed towards him, its club knocking the sinks off the walls as it went. Pale, Percy got to his feet and pointed his wand warily at the creature.

"Potter!" commented Draco as he, Ron, and Hermione dashed into the bathroom. "What are you doing here?"

Percy wiped at the few stray tears on his cheeks. He then snapped, "Not really the time, Draco!"

"I agree," replied Ron, throwing a tap at the lumbering creature. That made the creature pause and turn on the trio. It started for Ron, its club raised high. Hermione let out a squeak and turned pale, but she held her ground.

Dashing over to the far wall, Draco grabbed a broken chunk of metal pipe and threw it at the creature, distracting it from Ron and Hermione.

"Mudblood!" Draco shouted loudly, getting out his wand. Hermione mumbled, "I suppose it wouldn't surprise me if troll blood had the consistency of mud."

"Oh, it's a troll," Percy got out. First a Cerberus and now a troll. What was next, a Manticore? Then he eyed the broken off sinks, which were slowly leaking water. That gave him an idea and he shouted at Draco, "Get away from the sinks!"

"What sinks?" he quipped, but he dashed away from the troll that was approaching him. To protect his 'fri-enemy' Ron cried out, "_Wingardium Leviosa_!"

The club flew up and out of the troll's hand, turning slowly over before dropping with a disgusting crack onto the troll's shoulder, clearly breaking or dislocating it. The troll let out a roar of pain.

His stomach tugging at him, as if wanting the power within him to be released, Percy let out a scream in reply. Water gushed out of the pipes, ramming the troll into the wall. The creature collapsed down, motionless. Hermione inched towards it. Quietly she asked, "Is it dead?"

"I think it's breathing," Ron replied, eying the troll dubiously. Draco commented, "Nice spell work… Ronald."

"I had a good partner," Ron blushed, glancing over at Hermione. Draco had followed his gaze and acknowledged, "She is a pretty good witch… for a Muggleborn."

Hermione teased, "And you're pretty reasonable for an elite pureblood."

"Thanks, guys," sighed Percy, sitting down since his knees were weak. Percival and Neville dashed in, followed by Professors McGonagall, Snape, and Quirrell. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a whimper, and sat down quickly on a toilet. Not wanting to be like the timid DADA teacher, Percy got to his feet despite his exhaustion. Snape bent over the troll, wand at ready.

Percival looked like he wanted to say something, but instead looked over at a white-lipped, furious-looking Professor McGonagall. Neville just stood behind the Gryffindor prefect, staring wide-eyed at the troll.

Her voice icy, Professor McGonagall demanded of the four, "What on Earth were you thinking?"

"Professor?" came Percival's voice. "Malfoy, Granger, Longbottom, and my brother Ron noticed Potter's absence and wanted to make sure that he was all right."

The aforementioned first-years nodded in confirmation. Draco said, "We sent Neville to get Percival but we headed off to make sure he was okay. We heard him yelp when the troll came in here so…"

"So we went after him and kept the troll from squishing him. Besides, he hadn't been there for the feast so he didn't know about the troll," Ron finished. Percy commented dryly, "True enough there but I did help, you know. I wasn't a damsel in distress."

Hermione had to giggle, albeit nervously, at that.

Snape stood up, his eyes dark. "Well, it did cause Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor to fight together rather than against one another. Nonetheless, it was quite foolish."

"Um, I for one I am glad they came, otherwise I'd probably be troll jam by now," Percy commented, leaning against the wall. Snape turned those dark eyes on him.

"What exactly were you doing in the girls' bathroom in the first place, Potter?'

After a long moment, Percy confessed, "I… I suddenly just got homesick right before the feast. I kind of freaked and hid in the first place I found, which was here."

"Halloween **is** the anniversary of the elder Potters' deaths," muttered Draco. That made Percy feel a little worse about his deception, but whatever kept his cover. He hadn't heard good things about the elder Malfoy from Mr. Weasley, and Mr. Weasley was a pretty easy-going guy. Instead he changed the subject.

"So… are troll attacks common here or something?"

"No," snapped Professor McGonagall. "When I find out who let in this troll…"

Percy was suddenly very grateful he hadn't even known what a troll was until ten minutes ago, and the other first-years looked as if they were thinking along the same lines. Curtly Snape stated, "I suppose since they were successful and had good intentions, they should get off lightly. Minus five points for each of them, sans Longbottom?"

"I think that's fair enough," agreed Professor McGonagall. Infuriated Percy pointed out, "So I'm losing points because I got freaked out and hid and got attacked by a troll and they're getting in trouble for saving my hide?"

The three Professors thought it over. Finally Professor McGonagall conceded, "We will discuss it with Professors Sprout and Flitwick. Now, all of you head to your dorms now."

Meekly the students exited the bathroom, Percival clamping a hand on his baby brother's shoulder. Before heading off to the Slytherin dorm Draco held out a hand towards Ron.

"I meant it- nice spell work, Ronald."

"My friends call me Ron," he told the other boy, shaking his hand. Draco nodded and broke off the handshake to leave. Percival muttered, "Great, in addition to a group Howler from Mum now I have to worry you'll get a Howler from Dad about befriending Malfoy."

"He's not too bad anymore," Ron shrugged. Hermione nodded, saying, "And Draco was right- nice spell work, Ron."

Ron just blushed to Percy's amusement. Neville shook his head tiredly. "What did I get myself into by becoming friends you guys?"

In the end they all just gained a point after the professors' discussion as a chilly and dreary November began. Still, the five of them were officially friends after fighting a troll. Well, not Neville, but they knew if someone hadn't needed to get back-up he would have been there. Besides, Neville was difficult to dislike.

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><p><span>Here's a scary thought… I don't think until he saw their headstones Harry knew his parents died on Halloween. O.o<span>


	11. Chapter 11: Quidditch

Disclaimer: I still don't own either Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. And editing was done by Mellie Erdmann.

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><p><strong>Chapter Eleven: Quidditch<strong>

November got off to a bad start, weather-side. It was dreary every day, frost everywhere when they woke up. The Quidditch season had begun to the excitement of most of the four Houses. Percy still didn't see the big deal, and neither did Hermione, but they loyally accompanied the rest of their study group to the Quidditch field no matter which team was playing after dinner.

Ron and Draco kept rereading _Quidditch Through the Ages_, with Neville listening in and trying to make sense of the sport. Percy and Hermione preferred to discuss mythology after their homework was done. Well, Hermione would have liked to move on to to-be-assigned work even more, but Percy kept holding her back.

The day before the Gryffindor versus Slytherin match, the five of them were in the courtyard discussing the odds of who would win. Draco was firmly Slytherin, Ron and Neville were Gryffindor all the way, Hermione felt the Slytherin team was more experienced, and Percy just wanted to know if concessions would be sold at the match. To keep everyone warm, Hermione had conjured up a bright blue fire that warmed the glass jar it was in. Everyone was huddled around it, discussing the upcoming match, when Snape entered the yard.

"He's still limping," frowned Draco as his favorite professor crossed the cobbled stones. Percy did see the Potions master was indeed limping as if his leg pained him greatly. The five of them huddled even closer to hide the jar, but something in their expressions must have tipped Snape off because he approached them.

"What's that you got there, Weasley?"

Ron held up the book. "_Quidditch Through the Ages_."

"We were discussing who'll win tomorrow, sir," Draco added. "Our House loyalties are showing."

"No kidding," sniffed Hermione, the jar behind her back, hidden from Snape's black eyes. "It's so juvenile."

"It's a noble and ancient sport," sniffed Draco. "You wouldn't understand; you're such a girl."

Ron looked torn between pointing out that the three Gryffindor Chasers were girls and being relieved Draco hadn't blamed it on her heritage. Looking at each of them in turn, as if wondering why they were all friends, Snape then limped off.

"I wonder why his leg is hurting," frowned Draco.

Ron realized, "He wasn't limping before Halloween…"

"You think he had a run in with the Cerberus or the troll? What are you getting at, Ronald?" an affronted Draco demanded.

Anxious for a fight not to break out, Neville commented, "Well, the thief has already broken into Gringotts. Would be that surprising if he tried to break into Hogwarts?"

"Of course!" Ron slapped his forehead. "The troll was a distraction! Snape must have suspected something, and interfered with the plan."

"To play devil's advocate, he might have been the wannabe thief," Percy felt compelled to point out.

Miffed, Draco snapped, "You just don't like Snape because he and your father didn't get along, Harry."

"They didn't?" blinked Percy. "Well, that explains a lot…"

Hermione gave a frustrated look. "You haven't done much research on yourself, have you, Harry?"

"It just strikes me as creepy one, to research myself, and two, to find out how much has been written about me before I hit puberty," shot back Percy.

"Harry has a point," acknowledged Draco to Hermione. The Ravenclaw had nothing to say to that.

After dinner, they were doing their Charms homework. Hermione finished first and went off, only to return with an old slender book.

"_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_," Ron read the cover. "What do you want with that?"

"Just seeing if Cerberus is in it," Hermione responded, sitting back down and opening the book.

Draco looked up from his parchment, bored. "It's not in there- that just covers about 75 creatures in a paragraph or two. You're going to need a different sort of book; one that goes into greater depth."

After confirming Draco's statement, Hermione stalked off, book in hand. Percy switched over to reading his history textbook; reading came so much easier to him with the charm on his glasses. A few minutes later Hermione came back with a stack of thick tomes.

"All of those?" asked Neville bewilderedly. Hermione told him shortly, "I'm going to need all the information I can get on Cerberuses."

"You know, I bet Hagrid provided the Cerberus- Charlie always went on about how Hagrid loves magical creatures."

"Why would Dumbledore entrust something so important to just Hagrid?" scoffed Draco.

"All of Hagrid's friends would trust him with their lives!" Ron shot back. Then the redhead grew pensive. "Actually, Draco, you might have a point. Dumbledore might not have **just** trusted Hagrid. I bet on the other side of that trapdoor are other protective measures done by other professors."

"Hagrid isn't a professor," Neville felt compelled to observe. Percy replied, "Yes, but he's absolutely loyal to Dumbledore and knows the grounds better than anyone."

"Harry has a point," agreed Draco reluctantly. Meanwhile Hermione had been absorbed in her books, looking up data on Cerberuses.

Quietly Neville asked, "But how did the thief get into Hogwarts? I mean, he had to have been already inside the castle to let in a troll, right?"

"Quirrell was the one that told everyone about the troll, and is new this year," suggested Ron.

Hermione shot him a shocked look from over the top of a book. "Ronald! He's a professor!"

"Do you think all teachers are saints or something? I'd say Snape, but he seems nicer this year… unless that's an act. No offense, Draco."

Draco thought it over before conceding, "None taken. Professor Snape has been rather nasty to any non-Slytherins in the past. I don't know why he's been acting nicer either. My father doesn't know as well."

"So our suspects are Snape and Quirrell," Percy commented seriously. "But we need to figure out what on earth is so valuable that everyone regards it so highly…"

"Right," agreed Ron and Draco. Hermione was too busy reading to have heard.

Neville rested his head on his arms tiredly. "Can't we go back to talking about who'll win the Quidditch match tomorrow?"

HPJ-HPJ-HPJ-HPJ

The next day was bright and chilly as everyone had breakfast in the Great Hall, which smelled of fried sausages. Everyone was excitedly chattering about the upcoming match, the first of the season.

At ten thirty the study group headed out to the stands that ringed the Quidditch pitch. Draco had brought along a pair of binoculars, as had many of the other students. The seats were high, but Percy guessed it would be tough to follow a game played on a broomstick. The five went to almost the top of the stands despite the bitter cold. They all wore scarfs and caps in their House colors.

With the help of Dean and Seamus, Ron and Neville had painted a banner that said 'Weasley for the Win'. Dean had drawn a Gryffindor lion underneath.

"Why are the banner's edges chewed at?" Draco made a face. Ron pulled out a sleepy Scabbers from his cloak pocket.

"Here's the reason."

"Ah…"

For the next hour the debate raged furiously about who'd win the match between the study group's members. Finally the Quidditch players on both teams came out. Everyone cheered loudly, even Percy and Hermione. Since it was Percival's first match, Percy figured he ought to pay attention.

Madam Hooch, in striped black and white robes, stood in the middle of the pitch with her broom in her hand. Once they were gathered around her and the captains had shaken hands, she warned them, "Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you. Mount your brooms, please."

The fourteen players got onto their brooms. Madam Hooch blew loudly on her silver whistle and all of them flew into the air.

The twins' friend Lee Jordan was commentating.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor- what an amazing Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too-"

"JORDAN!" shouted Professor McGonagall, who was supervising him. Ron chuckled, "The twins said this happened all the time last year."

"Why hasn't he been banned then?" frowned Draco.

"She enjoys arguing with him too much to do that," Ron grinned. Draco rolled his eyes, muttering something that sounded like 'Gryffindors'. The quintet refocused on the game just as Alicia Spinnet scored the first goal of the game.

"YAY!" cheered Neville and Ron to Draco's annoyance. Hermione pointed down at the base of the stands. Hagrid had belatedly joined the crowd, apparently tiring quickly of watching from his hut. Looking upward, Percy saw Percival circling high above, out of the way of the others.

Next the Slytherin Chaser Pucey scored, permitting Draco to let out a triumphant whoop. A few minutes later the Snitch was sighted by the Slytherin Seeker for Terence Higgs, but Percival was soon on his tail. However Marcus Flint soon rammed himself into Percival, sending the redhead spinning. Ron and Neville let out roars of outrage, and even Draco winced.

In the momentary chaos, the Golden Snitch vanished. Lee Jordan was furious. "So after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating-"

"Jordan!" Professor McGonagall frowned severely at the dreadlocked boy.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul…"

"Jordan, I'm warning you!"

"Fine, fine. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Bell, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

Fred and George each hunted down a Bludger and aimed it at Flint. Apparently they were the only ones allowed to mess with Percival. Percival regained his balance and resumed searching for the Golden Snitch, with Higgs searching as well.

As Slytherin scored again, Hermione grabbed Draco's binoculars that were dangling from his neck.

"OW!" went the Slytherin, yanked sideways. Hermione peered through them, her mouth gaping.

"There's a fire! Second floor! Look!"

By now the crimson flames were visible from the stands. Draco raised his eyebrows worriedly. "That looks like Fiendfyre."

"But that's Dark Magic!" went Neville.

Ron told the other boy, "My turn to get the teachers, Neville. You go with the others to stop it."

"We'll get brooms from below the stands," Draco told them, already on his feet. "Come on, let's go."

"I hate flying," muttered Percy. But he, Hermione, and Neville followed Draco down to where they kept the school brooms. Getting on them, the quartet zoomed across the lawn towards the castle. Flames in the shape of giant snakes and dragons were spilling out the melted windows on one side.

"How do you stop Fiendfyre? With a water-based spell?" shouted Hermione, her hair whipping in her face.

Draco shook his head and shouted back, "No- I don't know if there is a way to stop it! But we can try to contain it until the professors come!"

Percy dove down and flew just a few yards above the ground, really hating flying. Neville followed suit. The pudgy boy yelled, "But how?"

"I don't know!" Draco confessed. Neville and Hermione looked very worried at that.

Percy looked over at the dark, glinting waters of the lake. All water was tied to the sea. With that thought running through his mind, Percy made an awkward landing. He reached an arm out to the lake and tugged it towards the castle. A huge stream of water flew across the lawn and into the castle, making the flames scream.

Draco landed elegantly next to Percy. Eying the still flowing stream of water, he asked, "How did you do that?"

"No clue," sighed Percy, falling down to his knees. The water stopped, and the flames started to regain their strength.

From across the lawn came Professor McGonagall and Flitwick, who cast advanced water-making spells but even those only temporarily stopped the flames. Then a deluge of water came down on the flames, quenching them once and for all.

Neville and Hermione landed next Percy and Draco. Weak kneed Neville pleaded, "No more adventures for the semester, please?"

"I'm with Neville," agreed Hermione.

"Cowards," sniffed Draco, Percy nodding his agreement.

After the initial questioning, the quartet was released. Gryffindor had narrowly won, so the four went down to Hagrid's for tea. The large man was in shock over the casting of Fiendfyre.

"Why would anyone want to do somethin' like that?"

"To get past the three-headed dog and get whatever it's guarding," Ron admitted, sipping at his hot tea. Hagrid dropped his teapot.

"How do you know about Fluffy?"

"Fluffy?" Draco got out, his grey eyes wide.

Hagrid gave Draco a dubious look. "Yeah- he's mine- bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year- I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the-"

He cut himself short.

"Yes?" Percy nudged him. "To guard the what?"

Gruffly Hagrid replied, "Now, don't ask me anymore. That's top secret, that is."

He gave Draco a suspicious look, which made the boy flush.

"But someone is trying to steal it!" Hermione protested. "That's why the troll was let in, and that's why someone set off the Fiendfyre during the Quidditch match!"

As the five sipped their tea Hagrid informed them darkly, "Now, listen to me, all three of yeh- yer meddlin' things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel!"

The four exchanged pleased grins. Well aware what those grins meant, Hagrid looked furious with himself.

The next Saturday was the Hufflepuff vs. Ravenclaw match. The Fiendfyre damage had been repaired, so that was a relief. The study group split up- Ron with his brothers, Neville with some other Gryffindor first-years, Hermione with some Ravenclaws, Draco with some of the less morally ambiguous Slytherins, and Percy sat with his fellow Hufflepuffs.

There were some distant rainclouds, so Percy mostly cloud-watched during the Quidditch match. Even Lee Jordan's entertaining commentary couldn't retain his focus on the game. In the end Ravenclaw won, to Hufflepuff's disappointment. Percy didn't particularly care one way or the other. He just didn't get Quidditch.


	12. Chapter 12: The Mirror of Erised

Happy Presidents' Day!

I don't own Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. Bummer.

And in case anyone's wondering, Quirrell/Voldemort opted for Fiendfyre because they couldn't easily hex 'Harry' since he wasn't a Quidditch player this time. 

Also, Mr. Weasley's been able to go home earlier the past few months due to housing 'Harry Potter'. This is back when the MoM viewed him as their 'wonder boy'. 

Edited by Mellie Erdmann. Thanks!

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><p><strong>Chapter Twelve: The Mirror of Erised<strong>

As December reached its midpoint, Hogwarts woke up to snow covered grounds a frozen lake over one brisk morning. It kept snowing for the next week. Fred and George enchanted some snowballs to follow Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of the turban. Fewer owls could make the flight to Hogwarts, needing nursing from Hagrid before being able to fly back to their homes.

Everyone was excited about the holidays, especially as the entire study group was staying at school. Draco had gotten a stern letter from his father about the matter, as did Neville from his grandmother, but they had kept their places on the list of students staying over the holidays.

It was cold in the corridors, although the common rooms had constantly burning fires to keep the students warm. Brisk winds rattled the windows and the dungeons were cold enough that they could see their breaths. Percy and Hermione huddled close to their cauldron to stay warm. At least the Great Hall had been lavishly decorated: there were garlands of holly and mistletoe hung on the walls as well as a dozen giant fir trees ornamented with icicles and candles.

But the five spent all their spare time in the library, searching for Nicholas Flamel. Ron, Draco, and Neville all insisted they had heard the name before, but couldn't remember where. Nonetheless they kept searching, because they felt that knowing what was the thief's goal would help them figure out who the thief was. Hermione took modern wizardry, Draco took wizarding law, Neville took medieval wizardry, Ron took sports, and Percy took ancient wizardry. They were all terrified that Nicholas Flamel was in a section they weren't looking through.

Towards the end of one such session on the last day of classes, Percy found himself looking at the Restricted Section. He had to wonder what sort of books needed to be restricted, and if Flamel might be in one of them. Maybe Hermione would know. Spotting the librarian, Madam Pince, approaching, Percy hurried off to another section of the library. None of them wanted the professors to know what they were up to, just in case the thief got wind of them. Luckily thanks to their study group she wasn't yet wondering why they were spending so much time in the library but they knew she would soon. They didn't know what to do when that happened.

On the first day of holidays, with so many students gone, everyone had crowded over to the almost empty Hufflepuff table: Percy, the Weasleys, Neville, Hermione, Draco, Lee Jordan, and Cedric Diggory. Athena returned from her latest venture out to the Burrow, dropping a letter with a red seal in front of Ron. It was addressed to all four Weasley boys.

"Oh Merlin, Mum found out about the toilet seat," winced George. Fred continued, "We're all going to die…"

Percival nodded soberly as the letter started to quiver and shake.

Draco looked over at the redheads amusedly. "What's this about a toilet seat? Is that why you all got a Howler?"

"A what?" asked Hermione with interest.

A wan Neville explained. "It's a way of venting your feelings- usually your anger at someone you can't reach easily. It's an enchanted letter where the author's screams are amplified so that everyone in the area can hear."

"Oh," went Percy in a small voice. The letter started to emit smoke at its corners. Very anxiously George reached over and opened the letter. After the initial explosion of sound, everyone realized it was a giddy, girlish voice- the Weasleys and Percy recognized it as Ginny's.

"_**I'M GOING TO BE A BIG SISTER! AND YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO BE BIG BROTHERS AGAIN!"**_

Then the letter promptly burst into flames, quickly curling into ashes. Everyone stared at the ashes. Finally Cedric commented as he resumed spreading jam on his toast, "Well, that was unexpected."

Fred and George high-fived, chorusing, "Mum still doesn't know about the toilet seat!"

"What?" squeaked Percival. "We're going to be EIGHT?"

Ron turned to Draco and grudgingly conceded, "Okay, maybe you had a point."

Draco was too busy laughing to reply.

Ron tried to teach Percy, Neville, and Hermione wizards' chess but it didn't go well because he was so good at it that they just kept losing. And Draco didn't like it at all. So instead they went out on school brooms- supervised by the elder Weasleys and Wood- to fly around on the Quidditch pitch. Percy didn't change his mind about flying, so he ended up just watching on the sidelines.

The day before Christmas Eve Athena returned with the reply to the Weasleys' and Percy's panicky letters: confirmation that there was going to be an eighth Weasley. Percival recounted that when he mentioned it to Professor McGonagall, she buried her face in her hands, asking, "Another one?"

On Christmas morning Percy woke up to a nice pile of presents at the foot of his bed. With his mom's low-paying job, he usually didn't get all that many presents but this Christmas it looked like he had gotten quite a few. Since the rest of his roommates had gone home for Christmas, Percy felt free to talk to Catalina as he unwrapped his gifts.

From Neville he got a packet of blueberry seeds, and he had gotten the Gryffindor a plush lion. Draco had given him a book on wizarding genealogy and he had gotten the other boy a copy of _Quidditch_ _Through the Ages_. He had gotten Hermione a Baltimore Ravens baseball cap, and she had gotten him a large box of Chocolate Frogs. Ron had bought him a map of wizarding England, and he had gotten the other boy several bags of Every Flavour Beans. Percival had given him a book on the Greek myths, and Percy gave his summer-time roommate a new copy of _Hogwarts, a History_.

And Mrs. Weasley had sent him a homemade sweater and a box of homemade fudge. The sweater was yellow with a badger on it. When he went down to the Great Hall for lunch, he saw the rest of the Weasleys wearing similar sweaters: Percival's was purple with a P on it, the twins' were blue with their initials on them, and Ron's was maroon with a beige lion on it.

"How quaint," observed Draco. They were all together at the Hufflepuff table again to eat the Christmas feast: roast turkeys, boiled potatoes, buttered peas, lots of gravy, cranberry sauce, and more. Plus every few feet there were strange things the others called 'crackers'. Percy had gotten quite the shock the first time the twins pulled on the ends of one- blue smoke poured out of it, concealing them for a few minutes from view. He opted not to open any himself, especially after Dumbledore opted to switch out his pointed wizard's hat for a flowered straw hat he had gotten from one such cracker.

Flaming Christmas puddings were the desserts, Hermione getting the Sickle in her piece. Afterwards they all went out onto the grounds for a snowball fight- the Weasleys and Percy versus Hermione, Neville, Cedric, and Draco. After that they went all the way up the Gryffindor common room to get warm, Ron beating everyone in an impromptu chess tournament. The Gryffindor common room had a bigger fireplace, red and gold decorations, and plump red armchairs.

Dinner was turkey sandwiches, crumpets, something called trifle, and cake; it left everyone sated and sleepy, so they went their separate ways to sleep off all the food.

The next day was also a holiday to Percy's surprise: Boxing Day. Oliver and Cedric ended up 'liberating' the Quaffle from the school sports supplies closet. The Muggleborns and Percy ended up teaching the purebloods 'football'. Percy was relieved he hadn't yet slipped up and called the game soccer. In the end there were no teams or rules, just a bunch of teens messing around with a ball.

The Quaffle got kicked all over the place, until they were up in a hallway with a suit of armor. Percival accidentally kicked the ball into a door, crashing it open so the Quaffle rolled inside. The twins ragging on Percival, they all headed inside to retrieve the Quaffle.

The red ball had rolled to a stop in front of a remarkable mirror. Since the desks and chairs had been shoved against the walls, the mirror was the focus of the room. The mirror was so tall it nearly reached the ceiling, with a gorgeous gold frame that kept the mirror up on two clawed feet. At the top was an inscription so weird Percy momentarily worried that the charm on his glasses had worn off until Hermione read it out loud.

"Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi."

"That makes no sense," protested Neville in confusion.

With a shrug Ron approached the mirror to retrieve the Quaffle. As he got up from scooping it up, Ron let out a yelp of surprise as he looked into the mirror.

"What?" panicked Cedric. But Ron just stared at shock at the mirror. Then, turning as red as a tomato, Ron hurried back to his elder brothers. Eying the mirror warily Percival asked, "What did you see, Ron?"

Still red, he confessed, "I… I was older, and head boy and Quidditch captain and Gryffindor had won the House Cup…"

The redheaded boy almost looked as if he wanted the mirror to have shown the future. Wan, Draco reread the inscription.

"Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsI. This must be the Mirror of Erised… it shows your deepest desire. Mother told me about it once."

"Oh!" went Hermione, edging towards the mirror. "That sounds fascinating…"

"Too fascinating," frowned Cedric. "My dad told me about the Mirror, and I think Draco's right. This is it. But people have lost themselves in staring at its image, becoming obsessed with it."

Percival gripped Ron's arm tight, as if to prevent Ron from getting a second look. Annoyed, the younger boy said, "I know it's bad news, Percival. Calm down."

"Is it bad that I'm relieved that we're not the only ones with an inferiority complex in our family?" Fred asked George in rare seriousness. Equally solemn George replied, "Well, I'm relieved too…"

"Same," agreed Percival awkwardly.

Ron's jaw dropped and his voice came out squeaky. "What?"

"Oh, come on, Ron," sighed Percival. "Why do you think Bill always tried to be the best he could? He needed to set a good example. Charlie wanted to live up to the standard Bill set, I need to not be a failure compared to them-"

"We need to stand out," the twins chorused. George added, "You and Ginny are the babies of the family, but I guess that comes with its own hardships."

"Well, there's another baby on the way, and odds are it'll be a boy," pointed out Fred. George shrugged. "True. But once you get over three kids, inferiority complexes are everywhere. Besides, even Ginny has it rough- she's the only girl and needs to survive all us boys."

"So being part of a large family isn't all that great?" asked Draco. The four Weasley boys exchanged looks before chorusing, "No, it's a lot of fun."

"But aren't there problems with being an only kid, Malfoy?" asked George.

"Yes," Draco admitted, the others nodding. Amused, he commented, "I forgot- except for the Weasleys we're all only children here."

Tossing the Quaffle up a bit, Ron suggested, "Let's get back to playing!"

Everyone left the room, Percy looking back at the mirror as he shut the door behind them all. That night, lying in bed, Percy wondered if he could go back to the Mirror. Cedric and Draco had said it was dangerous, but one look couldn't hurt, right? He already knew what he'd see, anyway.

"_What are you thinking about?"_ asked Catalina sleepily from under the bed. _"Wissshing it was warmer?"_

"No," sighed Percy. "Just thinking."

Percy woke up early and snuck back to the room with the Mirror of Erised while the sun was still rising. Taking a deep breath Percy approached the mirror.

There was his mother, smiling widely with her sea-colored eyes bright. And instead of Harry Percy saw himself, in jeans and an orange T-shirt that said 'Camp Half-Blood'. On his other side was a blonde girl in the same outfit, but she looked better in it than Percy did. Her steely grey eyes softened as she took Percy's hand. That weirded Percy out, his reflection doing something he wasn't.

Percy looked into his face, his real face. He let out a contented sigh. He wasn't sure who the blonde girl was, or why she was part of his deepest desire, but she was cute. And his mom… it felt so good to see her again. Then he saw Grover in the background, also in the orange T-shirt but wearing khaki pants as he used his crutches. There was also a black-haired man in cargo pants and a Hawaiian shirt that looked oddly familiar.

"Dad?" breathed Percy, staring at the man. The blonde girl nodded and squeezed his reflection's hand. Looking at her, he asked, "Who are you?"

With a smug smile she breathed onto the mirror, which creepily resulted in fogging up the mirror. Very carefully she wrote out a single word- Annabeth.

"Hi," he told her, then he breathed onto the cool glassy surface. Just as carefully he spelled his name backwards so she could understand it. Amused, she said something that had his reflection rolling his eyes sheepishly. Percy figured it was something along the lines of 'I knew that'.

"Perseus," came an elderly voice from the entrance. Wheeling around, Percy saw Headmaster Dumbledore walking into the room. Thankfully the elderly man was smiling kindly.

"I knew the Mirror had been visited yesterday, and reinforced the wards to see if anyone came visiting again."

"Um, well," Percy looked over his shoulder at his mom and Annabeth.

"Can you tell me what the Mirror of Erised shows us?" Dumbledore inquired.

"Cedric and Draco said it showed our deepest desire," Percy told him. "It showed me as me and with my mom..."

"Ah, of course," Dumbledore sighed, the twinkle in his eyes dimming. "Yes, you have been set onto a hard path in Harry's place. The Mirror will soon be moved to a new home, and you should not seek it out."

"Cedric said that you could get lost in it," admitted Percy, finding himself wanting to look just one more time into the Mirror.

Soberly Dumbledore told him, "It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, Perseus. But at least you are now prepared if you ever encounter it again."

"Goodbye, sir," nodded Percy, exiting the room, relieved he hadn't gotten into trouble. He still opted not to tell anyone about his visit to the Mirror of Erised, just to keep them from asking any questions he couldn't or wouldn't answer.


	13. Chapter 13: Nicholas Flamel

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. Be sure to check out this fic's counterpart "Harry Potter and the Lightning Thief"! And happy Leap Day!

Edited by Mellie Erdmann.

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirteen: Nicholas Flamel<strong>

Christmas break passed happily enough, although Percy had to resist trying to find the Mirror of Erised again. It had shown him his mom and himself. Plus, he didn't know who Annabeth even was. Thoughts of the Mirror were pushed back when classes resumed.

Despite the frequent chilly rains that permeated the evenings, the study group went out to watch whatever Quidditch team was practicing after dinner while doing their homework. With Hermione in their group, they were all doing fairly well in their classes.

One very muddy and dreary February evening, the others found Draco hopping towards them instead of walking. The Slytherin had gone back for his books, same as the rest of them. After a moment they realized he was under the Leg-Locker Curse. While Ron stifled a snigger, Hermione cast the countercharm on a flushed Draco. The force with which his legs sprang apart made him collapse to the floor. Neville helped him, asking, "Who did it? There's enough of us- we can take on whoever it was."

"It was Nott," grumbled Draco, bright pink. "Said I was a blood traitor- said he was going to tell his father, who would tell my father. I'm going to be in so much trouble…"

"Sorry," winced Percy. What little Draco had said about his father confirmed Mr. Weasley's low opinion of him. Draco lifted his head up high. "I don't care anymore. You all can carry on actual conversations, unlike Crabbe and Goyle. Besides… besides, maybe being a blood traitor isn't what I thought it meant."

"Yes, well, let's go watch stupidly brave Gryffindors fly around in a storm," joked Percy. "Good thing it's nice and dry under the stands…"

"Come off it, Harry, you like water," snorted Neville as they walked through the Great Hall. Percy replied smartly, "Yes- but my books less so."

Draco just smiled weakly, clearly worried about his father's reaction. Ron eyed the other boy for a minute before commenting, "At least when we look that way, we deserve it. I don't think being friends with us counts as a reason to be terrified bloody witless by your father."

"Ronald, language," Hermione gently reprimanded him. Ron just snorted as the first years went through the doors and out into the downpour. Huddled together, they made their way under the stands, from which they could watch the Gryffindor team practice.

They worked mostly in silence over their Potions homework, an occasional question being asked over any tricky bits. As they wrapped that up, overly casual Draco commented, "So, do you think I'll get a Howler from Father once he finds out?"

"If he does, I'll sic the twins on him," Ron assured the other boy. Neville wondered, "Do you think they'd take pictures?"

"Or let us come along?" Percy asked. "Or, heck, we could even take care of matters ourselves!"

The four cracked up. Hermione just shook her head, muttering, "Boys!"

The Quidditch team was still playing by the time they finished their homework, so they amused themselves by telling stories. Percy told them about Kronos eating his children, Hermione about Rumpelstiltskin, Ron about Babbity Rabbitty, Neville about the Hopping Pot, and Draco told the Warlock's Hairy Heart. Percy decided that wizarding bedtime stories were as screwed up as the Greek myths.

Thankfully no one was practicing the next day, which had lightning and thunder on top of the heavy rains. Percy had to resist touching his scar whenever lightning flashed. After dinner the five went up to the library for homework and trying to find Nicholas Flamel.

"I know I've heard of him," grumbled Draco for the hundredth time. "I just can't remember where…"

"Same," sighed Hermione as she wrapped up her History essay. "But I've read so many books I just can't recall where…"

"We'll find him eventually," Neville assured the others, although his expression said otherwise.

As they left the library Madam Pince informed them that they were too noisy too often and should find somewhere noisier to "lurk". It wasn't completely unexpected, but now the five had no idea where to have their study group.

The next evening, while the Hufflepuff Quidditch team trained under Cedric, they tried to find a new, relatively neutral place to study when not watching Quidditch at the same time.

"The Great Hall?" suggested Neville. Hermione sighed, "But which table to sit at? And even if we switched it up regularly, it would get confusing."

"An empty classroom like the one that Mirror was in?" tried Percy.

"No, Harry… those can be used for students, but we can't just keep one all to ourselves," Ron refuted.

Draco looked thoughtful. "Maybe we could use the Potions classroom. I'm sure Professor Snape wouldn't mind too terribly. I know it's not exactly neutral-"

"Far from it," Ron grumbled.

"But it's an idea," Draco continued. Hesitantly he added, "And if he does say it's okay, then he's saying it's okay by him that I am friends with you guys and maybe the upper years will lay off me at least a little."

The others exchanged looks. Finally Percy said, "We'll ask him tomorrow then."

Draco smiled, his grey eyes brightening. "Excellent."

But at breakfast Draco got his dreaded Howler from Mr. Malfoy, Draco rushing out before it exploded. The ranting could still be heard though, telling Draco how he was a disgrace to purebloods everywhere and to the Malfoy name. When they poked their heads out into the entrance hall, only the Howler's ashes were there. And Draco didn't show up for any of his classes that day.

"Where could he be?" frowned Percy at dinner. Hannah commented, "Who, Draco? I don't know. Probably in the Slytherin common room."

"Yeah, probably," agreed Percy, poking at his mashed potatoes. At least he wasn't actually related to Smelly Gabe; Draco was coping with his biological father hating on him. Looking over at Ravenclaw, he saw Hermione looked uncomfortable as well, while at the Gryffindor table Ron and Neville were talking anxiously to one another. Well, at least they had each other even if Percy had to lie to most of them about who he really was.

After dinner the four very, very, very carefully approached Professor Snape. Looking down at them he snapped, "What?"

"We were wondering if you knew where Draco is, Professor," Hermione told him bravely. "We're worried about him, see."

The three boys nodded. After staring down at them for a minute, Snape sighed and gestured for them to follow him. He led them to his office, where Draco was nursing a cup of coffee in a chair.

"I guess asking how you are would be pointless," mumbled Ron, rubbing the back of his neck.

Draco's eyes were puffy and his face splotchy from crying but he managed a weak smile. "You'd be right, Ronald."

"Look, if you want we'll back off so your dad isn't angry at you anymore," Neville told him. "I mean, we like being friends with you but you shouldn't get Howlers over who you're friends with."

"No, you shouldn't," frowned Hermione. Sitting down behind his desk, Snape informed them, "I have already owled Lucius about his… interference. No further steps should be required."

"Hard to do that when Madam Pince viewed casual conversation as 'noise'," muttered Ron. Snape raised his eyebrows.

"Our study group isn't allowed to hang out in the library anymore," explained Percy. "Actually, Draco thought we could use the Potions classroom. We'd only use after dinner, and even then we usually go watch Quidditch practices if there are any."

"You all won't be… loud?" frowned Snape.

"Madam Pince thinks anything above a whisper counts as yelling," Ron snorted.

"True." Snape looked over at a sniffling Draco. "It is fine by me, as long as you behave yourselves and warn me if anyone else joins your little study group."

"Thank you, sir," Neville got out, the others seconds behind him.

Looking over at Draco, Snape told them, "I think it'd be for the best if you left now. Draco still needs some time to himself."

"Right," nodded Percy. "See you tomorrow, Draco."

"Right. I'll see you in class, Harry," smiled Draco weakly.

HPJHPJHPJHPJ

The rest of the week passed quietly. Snape was always in his office after dinner and didn't bother them while they studied and talked in the classroom. But the following Monday, Neville rushed in half an hour late, his face flushed.

"Guys! I found out who Nicholas Flamel is!"

"WHAT?" went the others.

Neville started explaining. "Hannah and I got to talking about her Chocolate Frog card collection after dinner, and she gave me one of her Albus Dumbledore cards since she had like a dozen, and look at this!"

He waved the card around wildly before reading it.

"_Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicholas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling."_

Hermione jumped up, her eyes very wide. "OH! I never thought to look in- I'll be back as soon as I can!"

And she dashed off. Draco demanded, "Where is she going?"

"The library?" tried Ron.

Satisfied Neville plopped down, getting out his Charms textbook. "Did I miss anything important?"

"Hermione whacked Ron over the head with a book when he suggested that she shouldn't try to be the best at everything," offered Percy bemusedly. Draco laughed at the memory while Ron scowled.

Puffing, Hermione showed back up ten minutes later carrying a giant old book. "I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."

"Light?" chorused Ron and Percy in shock. Even Draco and Neville looked surprised at her admission. With a frown Hermione silenced them as she searched through the pages, darkly muttering to herself as she scanned them. Just as the boys were starting to get bored Hermione let out an exclamation of glee.

"I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!" she grinned. Ron gave Draco a long-suffering look. In a dramatic whisper Hermione told them, "Nicholas Flame is the only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone!"

And she sat back, looking very pleased with herself.

"The Sorcerer's Stone? No wonder the thief is trying so hard," marveled Draco. Neville, Ron, and Percy exchanged puzzled looks. Draco and Hermione looked annoyed.

"Really, the Muggleborn knows more than the purebloods? That is sad," Draco shook his head.

Percy defended himself, "I was raised by Muggles. So… what is a Sorcerer's Stone?"

Exasperated Hermione read from the tome, _"The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Sorcerer's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal."_

"Limitless wealth and life?" gulped Neville. "Anyone would want that."

"No kidding," Ron laughed nervously.

"I'm not done," snapped Hermione. She kept reading. _"There have been many reports of the Sorcerer's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicholas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty eight)."_

Ron raked a hand through his red hair. "Are you done now?"

"Yes," Hermione smiled.

Ron reasoned, "So the dog is guarding Flamel's Sorcerer's Stone because Flamel asked Dumbledore to protect it for him. They're friends, and he must have suspected someone was after it so they got it out of Gringotts."

Neville propped his head up with his hands, looking at Dumbledore's currently blank Chocolate Frog card. "If he's over half a millennia old, no wonder we couldn't find him in any recent publications."

Snape poked his head out of his door for a moment before retreating back into his office. Even though he couldn't have possibly heard them, Percy occasionally wondered if Snape could read minds. Telepathy wasn't stopped by doors.

All of Gryffindor were shocked by how civil Snape was being to Gryffindor, and most of Slytherin was unhappy about Snape's less biased treatment of the Gryffindor House. At least Draco wasn't being hexed by older students anymore.

When the next Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff match rolled around, the five headed out together. Percy was starting to get sick of Quidditch, but he wanted to support Percival and even Cedric a little. He wished there were more hands-on games at Hogwarts, like capture the flag or dodge ball. Even dueling would be fun.

Percy taught Draco 'rock paper scissors' as they waited for the match to begin, with Hermione showing Ron with Neville watching on to learn. The game took forever, with Percival and Cedric searching for the Snitch as the Quaffle was thrown about with the Beaters fending off Bludgers.

In the end, Cedric caught the Snitch to the Hufflepuffs' immense joy. Percy grinned, "Excellent, party at Hufflepuff tonight. You guys want in?"

"My brothers would kill me," demurred Ron, but the others said 'sure'.

So that night, with some of the upper years having raided the kitchens, there was a party in the Hufflepuff commons room to celebrate their victory. There were a few scattered Gryffindors and Ravenclaws present- Cedric had invited the Ravenclaw's Seeker Cho Chang, for example. Professor Sprout was also present, ostensibly for supervision but really there for the food and pride in her Hufflepuffs.

Percy chugged down a sweet drink called butterbeer brought back from someone's last visit to Hogsmeade, trying extremely hard not to be glad that he had traded places with Harry. Eating a big chocolate cupcake with chocolate icing, Draco walked over to him.

"This is fun! Hectic and chaotic, but apparently that can be fun!"

"Yep," laughed Percy, ignoring that little niggling guilt at enjoying this world so much. "Where are Neville and Hermione?"

"Neville is off getting more cupcakes from the kitchens with Hannah, and Hermione is… well, I think she's off talking with the Ravenclaw Seeker."

Draco nodded towards the table of food. "You'd better grab a cupcake before they're gone, Harry. They're really good."

Percy eyed the chocolate smeared around Draco's mouth. "No kidding."

Draco grinned sheepishly. "It's nice having friends, isn't it?"

"You have-" Percy cut himself cut. "I suppose you would have an idea, wouldn't you?"

"Yes. Crabbe and Goyle barely can string two words together, and I think they just hung out with me because their fathers are scared of mine. Not that I blame them- I'm scared of him too, sometimes."

Percy wanted to say something about Smelly Gabe, but that would blow his cover. So he just tousled the other boy's hair and asked, "Could you show me those cupcakes so I could pick out the best one?"

"Of course, Harry," Draco smiled, wiping the chocolate off his face.


	14. Chapter 14: Norbert the Dragon

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Percy Jackson.

Question: do you guys want the 'HPJHPJHPJ' bits to the left or in the center?

Edited by Mellie Erdmann.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fourteen: Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback<strong>

Starting a dozen weeks before the exams, Hermione started to utterly obsess over them: making schedules for the entire study group, color-coding all of her notes, coming up with review sheets for all the classes, and trying to color-code the others' notes as well. When Ron tried to get her to stop one cool evening, Hermione argued back, "The exams are just ten weeks from now! That's practically a second to Nicholas Flamel!"

"We're not over half a millennia old though," Draco remarked, reviewing his latest History essay.

Percy pointed out, "Besides, you already know more than even the second years. You don't need to study."

"Yes I do!" Hermione retorted. "If I fail, I won't go on to second year! I should have started studying months ago…"

The four boys all edged away from the bushy-haired girl as she continued to rant about the end-of-year exams. It was bad enough that homework was piling up in preparation for the exams, though they got caught up between Hermione's fervor and the Easter holidays. They started to spend more and more hours in the Potions classroom, whittling down their stacks of homework. Ron snuck off one day while Hermione was lecturing a petrified Neville on the twelve uses of dragon's blood when he could only list nine off the top of his head.

When he came back, he was shaking his head. "Guess who I saw in the library?"

"You Know Who?" joked Draco, resulting in Percy balling up a bit of parchment and throwing it at his head. With a scowl Draco told him, "Not funny, Harry!"

"No," responded Ron. "Definitely not You Know Who. Or a professor like Quirrell."

"Nicholas Flamel?" tried Neville.

"No."

"Dumbledore?" asked Hermione.

"No."

"The twins?" suggested Percy.

"Not them either, but that would be pretty noteworthy."

"Uh, Merlin!" laughed Neville.

"What?" went Ron flatly.

"Who did you see in the library then?" sighed Hermione in exasperation.

"Hagrid! He was acting funny and was looking at books about dragons. I think we might need to check in on him," frowned Ron. "He did suggest we come down for a visit- well, he said I could. I don't think he trusts you, Draco, sorry."

Draco shrugged. "I guess I was a bit of a prat in the beginning."

"Guess?" Neville mouthed to Percy, who just grinned at the other boy.

"With all we need to do?" Hermione frowned. "I doubt it."

"I'll go with you, Ron," volunteered Percy.

"I still have to do a lot of Potions homework, sorry," apologized Neville.

"Hagrid likes magical creatures, but dragon breeding was outlawed in 1709," frowned Ron. "So why did Hagrid need to look at a guide for hatching dragon eggs? It was out on a table in the area he was in, and usually Madam Pince puts back books in less than five minutes so it had to be him…"

"I have no idea," shrugged Hermione, staring at her ink-stained fingers. "But it can't possibly be more important than exams."

HPJHPJHPJ

After dinner Percy and Ron were heading out across the grounds when Percival came up to them from the Quidditch pitch after Quidditch practice. The older boy asked, "Hello! What are you two up to?"

"Hagrid wants us to visit him," explained Percy as Percival walked with them across the lawn. "We don't know why."

"May I come along?"

"Yes, please. I think it involves dragons, Percival," Ron told his big brother. "He was looking at books about dragons earlier today."

"Hagrid just loves magical creatures, Ron. I doubt it means anything," Percival assured him as they reached Hagrid's door. The fifth-year knocked smartly on the huge wooden door. Looking around, Percy's heart sank as he noticed all the curtains were closed. That seemed like an ominous sign to him.

"Who is it?" came Hagrid's voice.

"Ron, with Harry and Percival."

The door opened just enough to let them squeeze in, and Hagrid shut it behind them hastily. The hut was very warm, thanks to a roaring fire in the fireplace. They accepted the offer of tea but turned down the stoat sandwiches.

Eyeing the first years, Hagrid questioned, "Yeh aren't still looking for Nicholas Flamel, are yeh?"

"No, we figured out who he was weeks ago," Percy smiled brightly.

"Why were you two- never mind, I don't want to know," sighed Percival.

"Good lad," nodded Hagrid.

"At least tell us who else Dumbledore trusts enough, like you, to protect something so valuable," Ron pleaded, deliberately widening his brown eyes imploringly. This show of flattery clearly weakened Hagrid's resolve so Ron followed it up by saying, "I mean, you have to know since you know everything about Hogwarts."

"Well, of course," chuckled Hagrid. A confused Percival got up to pace around a bit. Hagrid told the two first-years, "The… the you-know-what is here for a good reason. It nearly was stolen outta Gringotts, after all. Now, it's secret what the other enchantments are, but I know who did them. Dumbledore trusts them like he does me- Sprout, Flitwick, Snape, McGonagall, an' Dumbledore himself. Now, I'm forgettin' someone- oh, Quirrell."

Percival was starting to look curious about what they were talking about, but he was still aware he was probably better off not knowing.

Anxiously Ron asked, "You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy, right, Hagrid?"

"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," Hagrid confirmed proudly.

Percy remembered a myth from Mr. Brunner's class about the original Cerberus, and wasn't so sure. Then again, maybe wizards didn't read much Greek mythology. Tugging at his shirt collar Percy asked, "Could you open a window, Hagrid? It's kind of toasty in here."

"No can do, Harry," Hagrid apologized, looking very uncomfortable as he looked over at the fire. Percival strolled over to the hearth, having seen something under the kettle. In an outraged voice he said, "Hagrid!"

Percy looked closely and saw a huge, black egg in the heart of the flames. His freckles standing out against his paling skin Ron commented, "That's a dragon egg! What are you doing with that? And it must have cost a fortune!"

"It's bloody illegal," Percival got out, crouching down next to the fire. "That's what it is."

"I won it. Las' night," Hagrid explained. "I was down in the Hog's Head havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

Percival looked around. Slowly he reminded Hagrid, "You live in a wooden house."

Heedless of the redhead's comment a pleased Hagrid told them brightly, "I've bin doin' some readin' on what ter do when it hatches. Got a book outta the library. It's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mums breathe on 'em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket of brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An' it says how ter recognize diff'rent eggs- what I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them."

"We should get back to Hogwarts," Percival told Hagrid, standing up. "Come on, Ron, Harry."

They said their farewells and started back to the castle.

"Nice usage of flattery," Harry told Ron. The redhead shrugged casually, "It was Hermione's idea."

Distracted, Percival raked his hands through his hair. "What am I going to do? If I tell, Hagrid will get in trouble… and if I don't… why do these things keep happening?"

Eyes narrowing he demanded, "And what needs- oh sweet Merlin! It's the Sorcerer's Stone, isn't it? It's exceedingly valuable and involves Nicholas Flamel! What is it doing here and who's Fluffy?"

"Fluffy is a Cerberus, and suddenly I feel stupid for you figuring it out in under thirty seconds," Percy complained.

Ron looked thoughtful. "Well, Percival is four years older than us and nearly as much of a bookworm as Hermione. Imagine Hermione with four more years of reading under her belt."

"True. Anyway, someone is trying to steal it from within Hogwarts- we're not sure who though."

"First, let's solve the dragon problem," Percival stated firmly. "Then we can worry about the Sorcerer's Stone."

HPJHPJHPJ

So that Saturday the Weasley boys plus Percy gathered at the top of the Astronomy Tower to discuss matters without anyone overhearing. Out of respect of Hagrid's wishes Draco had not been informed, and to be fair Hermione and Neville had also been left out of the loop.

"I can't even remember what it's like to have a peaceful life anymore," sighed Ron as he sat down once they were at the tower's top.

Pacing, Percival said, "We need a plan, badly. I had Athena fly off with a letter to Charlie- maybe he'll have an idea or two. He does work with dragons for a living, after all."

"We know that," Fred rolled his eyes. George smiled, "Percival tends to lecture when nervous."

"You'd get along with Hermione then," grumbled Ron. "She keeps making those blasted exam schedules for us, editing them whenever we get a new homework assignment."

"I have a planner to prevent that problem," observed Percival. Then he shook his head. "Wait, let's get back on track. Hagrid has a Norwegian Ridgeback dragon egg in his house. It will hatch within a month, and will proceed to grow rapidly."

"I forget- what are Ridgebacks like?" frowned Fred. "We aren't taking Care of Magical Creatures anyway."

"It's rare and aggressive and dark colored," Percival listed. Worriedly he added, "I think it learns how to breathe fire earlier than most dragon breeds… I'll have to look it up."

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but shouldn't we tell a professor about this?" asked George. "A dragon, even a baby one, can be really dangerous."

"Percival owled Charlie," pointed out Fred. "Besides, we can't tattle on Hagrid. It's Hagrid."

"Hagrid is a grown man," acknowledged Percival. "I guess right now all we can do is wait and see how the cookie crumbles."

"I like cookies," grinned Percy jokingly, earning himself a glare from Percival.

Towards the end of March, Ron got a note from Hagrid at breakfast. Hastily written, all it said was: **it's** **hatching**. When shown to Percival and the twins, Percival insisted it could wait until after dinner. After dinner Percy and Ron filled in Draco, Hermione, and Neville on Hagrid's dragon egg. The more people knew, the more likely the secret was likely to be spilled, but they were their friends and deserved to know. Hermione was aghast.

"It's illegal to have a dragon egg! What was Hagrid thinking?"

"I don't think he was," frowned Draco. "I'll wait for you guys in the Potions classroom…"

"Nonsense, when will you get another chance to see a dragon hatch or a newborn dragon at least?" questioned Ron. "You're coming, Draco. You're our friend, if you can be sort of a prat at times. But we're all prats sometimes. The same goes for Neville and Hermione."

"Thank you, Ron," smiled Draco.

So all eight of them went down to Hagrid's hut as the sun sank towards the horizon. Hagrid greeted them, looking flushed and excited. "It's nearly out."

Once inside, he shut the door tight behind them. The egg was lying on the table, covered in cracks. It wobbled from side to side, a strange clicking noise emitting from it. The nine of them crowded around the table, holding their breath in their excitement.

With a final scraping noise the egg split open and the baby dragon flopped out onto the table. Fred and George voiced in tandem what Percy was thinking: "It's not exactly sweet and fluffy, now is it?"

The newborn, pitch black dragon was damp and crumpled-looking with oversized spiny wings. It had a long snout with wide nostrils, stubby horns, and bulging orange eyes. When it let out a sneeze, a couple of sparks flew out of its snout.

"That's… precocious of it," gulped Percival. Hagrid just murmured, "Isn't he beautiful?"

He reached out to stroke the dragon's head but it snapped at his fingers with pointed fangs. Delighted, Hagrid exclaimed, "Bless him, look, he knows his mommy!"

Neville and Draco exchanged dubious looks. Eying the dragon Ron asked, "How fast do baby dragons grow, exactly?"

"It depends on the species," responded Percival, wincing when the dragon let out another spark-inducing sneeze.

"I was afraid of that…"

For the next week they took turns visiting Hagrid and trying to convince to free the dragon. One evening when it was Percy's turn, he told him, "Just free him. He'd be happier that way."

"I can't," Hagrid insisted. "He's too little and he'd die!"

Percy looked over at the dragon, whom Hagrid had named 'Norbert'. In just over a week it had tripled in length, smoke often coming out of its nostrils. Kept busy by Norbert, Hagrid had been neglecting his gamekeeping and housekeeping duties. Empty brandy bottles and chicken feathers were everywhere.

With misty eyes Hagrid told Percy, "He really knows me now. Just watch. Norbert! Norbert! Where's Mommy?"

Percy resisted the urge to face-palm with both hands. Instead he argued, "Hagrid, in another month he'll be as big as your hut if he keeps growing at this rate. Someone might find out and go to Dumbledore, or even the Ministry."

Hagrid bit his lower lip. "I- I know I can't keep him forever, but I can't jus' dump him, I can't."

"Make him a pen in the forest then," Percy suggested. "He'd have more room and he'd be safer there."

"No, he's too little," Hagrid repeated stubbornly.

When he returned to the Potions classroom he collapsed at the table where Neville, Ron, Hermione, and Draco were sitting. "Hagrid is being impossible."

"I know," agreed Ron. "Hopefully Charlie will respond to Percival's letter soon…"

"No kidding," frowned Draco. "I think having a dragon illegally means a heavy fine and maybe even a week or two in Azkaban."

"Just a week or two?" snorted Percy.

"Azkaban is a very nasty place," Hermione reprimanded him. "Most inmates go insane after a few months…"

"Oh."

Percy didn't know how else to respond to that. Percival appeared in the doorway, a leather-bound book under his arm. With a relieved smile he said, "I think I found a solution. I checked out some old newsletters from Hagrid's years at Hogwarts. Well, he got expelled at some point for undisclosed reasons. Probably involved a magical creature, knowing him. But that's not the point."

He opened to a page showing a marginally smaller Hagrid with a teenage girl with a long braid holding a broomstick. Both were in Hogwarts robes. Proudly Percival said, "Meet Rubeus Hagrid and Minerva McGonagall. They were friends back at Hogwarts… maybe she'd keep it on the down low in honor of their friendship."

"Are we talking about the same McGonagall?" Ron asked in disbelief.

"Look, I got a reply from Charlie a few days ago," Percival admitted. "I had kept it mostly hypothetical just in case, but he didn't have much in the way of helpful advice. It probably didn't help I didn't tell the whole story, though. But he did say he and Bill will be visiting early July to meet their new baby brother."

"Oh, you know the baby's gender?" Draco asked. "When is the baby due anyway?"

Ron laughed. "No, but girls are pretty rare in the Weasley family. Ginny is the first in what- six generations?"

"Seven," Percival corrected him. "And the baby is due mid-June. So he'll start Hogwarts in 2003, four years after Ginny graduates…"

"Wow," Neville shook his head. Percy did so too, still unhappy that British summer holidays were nearly a month shorter than their American counterpart. Then Hermione changed the subject, "Couldn't Norbert be penned in the Forbidden Forest instead of in Hagrid's hut?"

"I tried that- Hagrid said no," Percy sighed, dropping his forehead down onto the table. "This can't end well."

"I'm going to McGonagall tonight," Percival stated. "I'm too worried to focus on my studying- and my OWLs are coming up."

"OWLs?" went Percy. Hermione sighed, "Ordinary Wizarding Levels. All fifth-years take them."

Percival made to leave, so Percy got up as well. All his homework for the next day was done, and like Percival he couldn't focus while worrying about Hagrid and Norbert. So the two boys walked through the empty hallways.

"How are you handling being the famed Harry Potter?" Percival asked.

"Not as badly as I could," shrugged Percy. In a whisper he added, "It's hard, lying every single day about who I am."

Percival smiled sadly. "I read somewhere that to a degree, everyone does. You're just doing it more than most. But you're doing a great job here at Hogwarts- good grades, no detentions so far…"

Fred and George had recently celebrated their birthday with a series of elaborate pranks that had earned them a month of detentions. Percy shrugged, "Between the Stone and Norbert, life is never boring at least."

"Uh-huh," went Percival as they reached Professor McGonagall's office. He knocked respectfully on the door.

"Enter."

The professor looked to be grading quizzes as the two entered her office. Each took one of the two chairs in front of her desk. On the fireplace mantle were a series of waving cat statues.

"Percival, Perseus. How are you two doing?"

"Pretty good, under the circumstances," shrugged Percy. "Thanks for asking. Percival?"

"Hagrid has a baby dragon," blurted out Percival, fidgeting with his horn-rimmed glasses. Instead of shock or surprise, she just leaned back in her chair wearily.

"I knew this day would come… I had been wondering why I had seen so little of him lately. What kind of dragon is it?"

"A Norwegian Ridgeback. I'm sorry we didn't tell you sooner, but we hoped Hagrid would see reason and an outside influence wouldn't be required," apologized Percival.

"Hagrid is an adult and should have acted as one instead of letting you students make the tough decisions," admitted McGonagall. "All right, let's go visit him."

The two boys followed her to Hagrid's hut where Hagrid was feeding Norbert yet again. Looking down at the dragon severely, she told him, "Hagrid, you can't keep him. He's poisonous and will just keep growing."

"I can handle him!" insisted Hagrid. "I even got him a teddy bear teh play with!"

"At least let me make a pen for him in the Forbidden Forest and smooth things over with Dumbledore," pleaded McGonagall. Hopping up onto the counter, Percy suggested, "Say he's a guard dragon."

"That could work," admitted Percival. "But, Professor, I doubt you could pull the wool over Dumbledore's eyes."

"No, but he could so with the Ministry," McGonagall reminded him with a grin worthy of the Cheshire Cat. Soberly she told Hagrid, "Try to think things through more in the future, Rubeus?"

Sheepishly Hagrid nodded.

Within another week the still-growing Norbert had been placed in a stone-barred cage about half a mile wide in the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest. Now the study group could focus on their upcoming exams and when the thief would try to steal the Sorcerer's Stone again, because the school year was starting to draw to a close.


	15. Chapter 15: The Forbidden Forest

Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.

Wow, just two more chapters after this! I'd be less excited but there's the sequel coming up. ^^

Edited by Mellie Erdmann.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fifteen: The Forbidden Forest<strong>

The remainder of April and most of May passed quietly. Well, except for the niggling sensation Percy couldn't lose that Neville, Hermione, and Draco were starting to think that something was off about him. An exchange of dubious looks, quick mutterings that abruptly changed subjects when he approached, and an occasional curiosity in their eyes all added up to worry Percy and Ron when he confided in the redhead. There was nothing he could do about it without reinforcing their suspicions.

About a week before exams started, though, Percy overheard something while returning from checking out a book on goblin rebellions from the library. It started with some whimpering coming from a classroom, that when Percy approached, turned out to be coming from Quirrell.

"No- no- not again, please-" he was begging. Holding his breath, Percy drew nearer. With a sob Quirrell conceded, "All right, all right."

Percy ducked behind a suit of armor as Quirrell came hurrying out of the classroom, straightening his purple turban. He strode out of sight, not noticing the poorly-hid Percy. Curiously Percy went into the classroom Quirrell had just vacated. On the other end was an ajar door. Getting out his pale wand, Percy went into the other room, but it just turned out to be an empty corridor to his disappointment. Nonetheless, the incident had had value.

Returning to the Potions classroom he announced, "Quirrell is definitely up to something. Odds are it's about the Sorcerer's Stone. I mean, how many mysteries can go on in one school at a time?"

"This school?" Draco drawled. "More than you'd expect."

Percy and Ron had to snort their agreement. Hermione shushed them since she was currently testing Ron, Draco, and Neville on Astronomy. Quietly Percy started studying Defense Against the Dark Arts. So far the class had been a bit of a joke- the older students conceded that the teacher was different every year, and that had been the norm for over twenty years.

As they moved on to Herbology, at which Neville was nearly as good as Hermione, Percy redirected the conversation to the Stone and Quirrell.

"What could he have been up to? He must have been talking to someone…"

"The thief might have been talking Quirrell into telling him how to get pass his enchantment," Draco suggested. Ron counter-suggested, "Or getting Quirrell to be his accomplice."

"Hagrid said that no one could get pass Fluffy," Hermione reminded them. "Now let's get back to studying. We need to pass their exams with at least an A!"

"Okay then," shrugged Percy, who was still adjusting to the wizarding way of grading.

"Maybe we should go to Dumbledore- let him know what we know. I mean, this is the sort of thing that he's supposed to take care of as Headmaster," Neville commented, sketching a mandrake as part of their latest set of Herbology homework.

"Brilliant idea, Neville," Draco retorted sarcastically. "We have little to no proof that he isn't already aware of: someone inside is trying to steal the Stone from Hogwarts like they did with Gringotts. We could be leaping to conclusions about Quirrell- it's unlikely, but possible."

The next day Ron told Percy during Defense Against the Dark Arts, "Percival is going down to check on Norbert this afternoon. He's kind of worried about him, being cooped up like that. Of course, Percival always liked to hear Charlie's stories about dragons the most. Anyway, he invited the study group to come with him."

"Sounds good to me," agreed Percy. "I think Hermione would agree to a few hours off from studying."

Hermione did agree, but recited the names of Saturn's moons as they strolled down together to Hagrid's hut with Percival: "Pan, Hyperion, Daphnis, Atlas, Titan, Prometheus, Pandora, Janus, Phoebe, Epimetheus, Pallene, Tethys, Calypso, Helene, Polydeuces, Rhea-"

"'Ello!" Hagrid greeted them, interrupting her litany. The sun was lowering in the sky, the clouds dissipating. "Come along, Norbert is growin' an' I'm sure he'll be happy ter see you!"

Draco smiled nervously. "I'm sure he will be."

Hagrid led the five of them about half a mile into the forest where Norbert's cage was. It was an oblong ditch with overarching granite bars keeping in the young dragon. Norbert had indeed grown to the point that he was nearly as big as Hagrid's hut, and they kept well out of range of his fire-breath that could extend nearly three yards out.

"Isn't he beautiful?" sighed Hagrid contentedly.

"For a dragon," conceded Hermione.

Draco was more concerned about the fact that Hagrid had brought along his crossbow and a quiver of arrows. In a slightly panicky voice he asked, "Hagrid, what's with the weapon?"

"Somethin' has been stalkin' the unicorns," frowned Hagrid. "I found unicorn blood earlier today, and last Wednesday I found a dead unicorn."

Both Neville and Draco gulped audibly. Hagrid reassured them, "There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang. An' keep to the path ter avoid trouble."

"Right," gulped Draco, eyeing the lengthening shadows.

"What could be fast enough to hurt a unicorn?" frowned Percival. "What could be warped enough to hurt a unicorn, to make it bleed?"

In the distance a rustling shadow was heard, making them all jump. Percy felt a twinge of pain from his scar. Grimly Hagrid told them, "There it was. Somethin' that shouldn't be in here."

"I'll take them out and up to Hogwarts," Percival told Hagrid, a trembling hand getting out his wand. Percy argued, "I want to help!"

"No," frowned Percival. "Anyone desperate enough to hurt unicorns won't hesitate to hurt first years. We need to get out now."

"I'm with Percival," Draco frowned uneasily. "This place is starting to get creepy… and besides, there are other monsters besides the unicorn hunter in here."

"I'm with Draco," Neville got out.

"I'm with Harry," sighed Hermione.

"You sound oh so thrilled about agreeing with me."

"Shush. I doubt that this… thing will stop at unicorns, and we've managed to take on a troll successfully."

"Fine," grumbled Draco, apparently unwilling to be viewed as less brave than Hermione. Percy wondered if that was because she was a girl or because she was a Muggleborn.

"If you're sure," frowned Hagrid.

"Yes, Hagrid," chorused the five first years.

"I'll take Ron and Hermione," volunteered Percival, looking displeased about the situation. Hagrid nodded. "I'll take Neville, Draco, and Harry then."

"Actually, I'll stay here with Norbert- just in case anything tries to attack him," suggested Neville, looking over at the fire-breathing dragon. Percy had to admit Norbert would make a better defender than a wizard in the case of something that was willing to hurt and kill unicorns.

The two groups split up, with another reminder from Hagrid to stay on the path. Draco and Harry stayed several yards behind Hagrid, who kept pointing out spots of silver-blue blood on the ground whenever they appeared.

Draco looked like he wanted to discuss something as the shadows lengthened and deepened. Percy finally sighed and said, "Yes, Draco?"

"Look, it's just… me, Hermione, and Neville. We need to talk to you and Ron soon."

Percy smiled in relief. "Okay."

Catching up to Hagrid he asked, "Could it be a werewolf?"

"It's not a full moon," Draco replied. "Otherwise they're normal wizards or Muggles."

"Besides, werewolves aren't fast enough. I never knew a unicorn ter be hurt before."

Percy heard a running stream nearby, which reassured him, despite the increasing splotches of unicorn blood along the path. But that momentary contentment was broken when Hagrid shoved the two boys behind a huge oak tree, putting an arrow to his crossbow. He kept it raised, ready to shoot, as he listened. Holding their breath, Draco and Percy heard it too: the sound of something cloak-like slithering over the dead leaves. Hagrid squinted into the darkness as the sound faded away. As Draco and Percy rejoined him he muttered, "I knew it. There's summat in here that shouldn't be."

"Sure it's not a werewolf? Or maybe it's a hellhound," suggested Percy.

"That was no werewolf an' it was no unicorn either. Right, follow me, but careful, now."

Slowly they made their way deeper into the forest, listening for anything odd. Then came movement in a clearing up ahead, making Draco squeak.

"Who's there?" Hagrid called. "Show yerself!"

And a centaur came out of the undergrowth to the trio. It had a chestnut stallion's body but the upper body of a man with red hair and beard. Relieved, Hagrid greeted the being. "Oh, it's yeh, Ronan. How are yeh?"

He strode forward to shake the centaur's hand. In a deep voice Ronan returned the greeting. "Good evening to you, Hagrid. Were you going to shoot me had I not shown myself?"

Patting his crossbow, Hagrid told him, "Can't be too careful, Ronan. There's summat bad loose in this forest. This is Harry Potter an' Draco Malfoy, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur."

"Clearly," got out Draco. "Hello."

"We had kind of noticed," nodded Percy.

Ronan inclined his head at them. "Good evening. Students, are you? And you learn much, up at the school?"

"Yes," both boys replied shakily, not quite in unison.

"Good," went Ronan. He flung back his head to stare at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight. And Neptune's flicker can be seen by those who know how to look. How strange."

Hagrid briefly glanced up as well. "Yeah? Listen, I'm glad we've run inter yeh, Ronan, 'cause there's a unicorn bin hurt- you seen anythin'?"

For another minute Ronan just stared up at the sky before sighing. "Always the innocent are the first victims. So it has been for ages past, so it is now."

"Yeah, but have yeh seen anythin', Ronan? Anythin' unusual?"

"Neptune can be seen by the Seers, and Mars is bright tonight. Unusually bright."

"I heard, but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit nearer ter home. So yeh haven't noticed anything strange?"

There was a lengthy silence that had the two boys fidgeting. At length Ronan replied, "The forest hides many secrets."

Then there were movements in the trees behind Ronan, making Hagrid raise his bow, but it was only a second centaur. This one was black haired and bodied, less well-groomed than Ronan. Hagrid lowered his crossbow. "Hullo, Bane. All right?"

"Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?"

"Well enough. Look, I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in here lately? A unicorn has bin injured- would yeh know anythin' about it?"

Bane walked over next to Ronan before looking skyward. "Mars is bright tonight."

Draco rolled his eyes. Hagrid looked to be just as irritated. "We've heard. Well, if either of you do see anythin', let me know, won't yeh? We'll be off, then."

The trio moved on. Once the centaurs were out of eye and earshot Hagrid grumbled, "Never try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon."

"So… they don't ever hold parties?"

Both Draco and Hagrid looked at Percy oddly.

"I was just curious," shrugged the black haired boy.

Suddenly crimson sparks could be seen in the distance. Hagrid frowned, "I better check on the others. You two stay on the path."

Hagrid crashed off into the undergrowth, the sounds fading away after a few minutes. Anxiously the two got out their wands. Percy started to move forward.

"What are you doing?" hissed Draco.

"Hagrid said stay on the path- not to stay put. Besides, staying still just makes us targets for whatever is killing the unicorns."

Unable to argue, Draco followed Percy even deeper into the forest. They got their wands out. The splashes of blood grew thicker and larger, and the path shrank- or seemed to- as the trees increased in size. Ahead, in a clearing, the two saw something white gleaming. Cautiously they crept closer, staying behind a massive oak. It was the unicorn, already dead.

It broke Percy's heart to see it: its long, slender legs stuck out at unnerving angles and its pearl white mane was spread out against the dank leaves. Percy was thinking about moving closer when a slithering sound made him freeze. On the edge of the clearing a bush shook before a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like a beast. Upon reaching the unicorn, it lowered its hood over the animal's wounded side and began to drink its silvery blood.

Draco nearly let out a scream before Percy clamped a hand over his mouth. Into the other boy's ear Percy whispered, "Not a word."

However the figure had heard them anyway, raising its head to look at them with unicorn blood dribbling down its front. Getting to its feet, it approached Draco and Percy, making the latter's scar throb painfully. Both boys opted to run like mad at that point but the figure was closing the gap between them until something galloped out from the undergrowth to charge at the figure. It was a centaur- one that looked younger than Ronan or Bane, with a palomino body and hair like Draco's.

The centaur reared at the figure with a war cry, and the figure dashed off. Turning towards the boys the centaur inquired, "Are you all right?"

Draco gaped at the centaur. "NO! We just got nearly killed or something by a creature willing to drink unicorn blood!"

Percy gave the other boy a glare. "We'll be fine."

The centaur studied them with electric blue eyes, paying special attention to the scar on Percy's forehead. "You are the Potter boy. You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time, especially for you. And the other boy is in as much danger as long as he is in your presence."

"I knew that already," Draco drawled, but his pupils were still dilated with fear. Ronan and Bane came galloping through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweat-covered.

"Firenze! What are you doing?" thundered Bane. "Remember, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"

Ronan's left front hoof pawed at the ground gloomily. "I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best."

Bane tossed his head in anger. "For the best! That is none of our concern! Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold! It is not our place to interfere!"

Firenze reared again in sudden fury, making both boys back up. "Did you not see that unicorn? Do you not understand why it was slain? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, even if that means allying myself with humans."

Firenze looked down at both boys. "I shall guide you out of the forest."

"Thank you," they got out, and they followed Firenze pass the two other agitated centaurs. Meekly Draco asked, "What was that you saved us from- we're very grateful for that, by the way."

"Yeah," Percy laughed uneasily. "Very grateful."

Firenze did not reply for some time but in a dense grove of fir trees he stopped and asked them, "Do either of you know what unicorn blood is used for?"

"I know that it's forbidden," went Percy slowly, trying to remember back to what Snape had said in that long-ago first Potions class.

"Yes, because it is a monstrous thing to kill a unicorn. Only one who has nothing to lose and everything to gain would even consider such a crime. Unicorn blood will keep you alive even if you cling to life by a single thread. But it is at a terrible price: for you have slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."

Draco gulped. Percy shuddered, "That's awful. Why would anyone want to kill a unicorn?"

"Indeed. But if you need to stay alive long enough to drink something else- something that will bring you back to full strength and power- something that will mean you can never die."

"The Sorcerer's Stone," gasped Draco.

Firenze nodded. "Its Elixir of Life grants immortality. Now, can either of you think of no one who waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"

Draco and Percy exchanged horrified looks as they chorused, "You Know Who?"  
>"Indeed. Now let us hurry from this forest- neither of you are safe here with that monstrosity lurking in the shadows."<p>

Within the hour they were within sight of Norbert's cage, at which point Firenze departed, saying, "Good luck. The planets have been read wrongly before, even by centaurs. I hope that this is one of those times."

The two boys rushed over to their friends. It turned out Ron had seen a spider the size of a horse and fainted, causing Hermione and Percival to panic. At the sparks the spider had fled.

"I thought those were just rumors about giant spiders in Scotland," went Percival shakily, who was still gripping an embarrassed Ron's shoulder.

"I was just about to go find you two," commented Hagrid. "Are you two all right?"

"The unicorn's dead, Hagrid," frowned Percy. "And it was something bipedal that killed it."

"It nearly got us," went Draco, flailing his arms. "No wonder these woods are called the Forbidden Forest!"

Percival quickly ushered them back to Hogwarts, quickly heading off to the Gryffindor commons room to sleep. Instead of following Percival's example, the five first-years went down to the Potions classroom. Snape was grading sixth year quizzes in his office, so Draco and Percy recounted their adventure in a whisper.

"So… it's You Know Who that's after the Stone?" gulped Neville. "And he and a servant have been living out in the Forest all this time."

"The servant snuck in and tried to get Quirrell to give in, because his enchantment must be one of the enchantments that You Know Who doesn't know how to get past," mused Draco.

Percy felt sick. This evil wizard was trying to come back to power, and one of the first things he would do if that happened was come after Harry Potter- or rather, him. Softly he said, "We have to stop him."

"That goes without saying," agreed Ron.

Hermione looked unconvinced. "Harry, everyone says Dumbledore is the only one You Know Who was ever afraid of. With Dumbledore around, You Know Who wouldn't dare try anything. Besides, the centaurs sound like they're doing fortune telling, which Professor McGonagall says is a very imprecise branch of magic."

Neville yawned. Tiredly he said, "Can we finish this conversation tomorrow?"

"And start a new one," agreed Hermione, glancing over at Percy.

Percy nodded wearily. "Tomorrow."


	16. Chapter 16: Through the Trapdoor

Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.

Yeah, remember to check out "Harry Potter and the Lightning Thief"! The first pair of fics are nearly done- the next pair will go further off the rails. Yay! Though admittedly it's about the third pair that things will really start changing around.

Whew, what a chapter. Second to last one, though. ^^

Edited by Mellie Erdmann.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Sixteen: Through the Trapdoor<strong>

However, with a final rush of homework before exams, it was Saturday before Ron and Percy had to face Draco, Neville, and Hermione about the truth of Harry Potter. They had gone down to the lake, Ron spreading out the painted sheet he and Neville had waved at the first Quidditch match for them to sit on.

"So." Draco began pompously. "We need to talk."

"My father is You Know Who," Ron joked, making Hermione smack him on the arm. "Not funny!"

"What? Someone had to lighten the mood," Ron defended himself.

"Look, what's really going on with you, Harry?" frowned Hermione severely. "Well, that's not really your name, is it?"

Draco and Neville looked ready to back her up. Percy and Ron exchanged tired looks, well aware they needed to explain. After everything they had gone through this school year, the three deserved to know the truth. Rubbing his face with his hands, Percy sighed, "Just… just don't tell anyone else, okay?"

"Technically we're not supposed to tell even you guys… the more people know, the more likely it is that the wrong people will find out."

"And that'd be bad," Percy backed up Ron. "So… where should we start?"

"Okay, we know it can't be Polyjuice Potion- you don't drink anything every single hour," Draco said. "So… how?"

"Well, you're assuming Dumbledore or the Ministry did this on purpose. That's not what happened," Percy told the blonde boy. "Actually, even Dumbledore isn't sure what happened. And the Ministry is in the dark about this. Dumbledore did do a test that proved I'm not Harry with mental issues though."

"Near as we can figure, Perseus and Harry traded souls… and it doesn't look like he's even from this world."

"Very messed up," mumbled Percy. "So very messed up."

"So… it was an accident?" tried Neville.

"Nope," laughed Percy hollowly. "We just don't know who did this. But yeah, Dumbledore said I needed to pretend to be Harry Potter to keep everyone good from freaking out and everyone bad from thinking they're free to attack without the kid who defeated their boss around…"

"How come Ron knows?" Draco sulked.

"Perseus showed up at the Burrow last summer, and blabbed to the twins and Mum about the truth, which got Mum to contact Hogwarts. Dumbledore wouldn't Obliviate us, so the rest of us at home were let in. Bill and Charlie are going to be told when they come home, too."

"Your real name is Perseus?" Neville wondered.

"Yeah, Perseus Jackson- my mom likes the Greek myths." Percy grew quiet. "The idea of never seeing her again is the real reason I was freaking out in that bathroom last Halloween."

"What about your dad?" Hermione asked.

"Never knew him; Mom always said he was lost at sea."

"He drowned?"

"No, Ron. He was lost at sea… that's how Mom always put it." Percy shifted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys before but… but I wasn't supposed to tell anyone and I wasn't sure how you guys would react."

"So the real Harry is in your body, quite possibly in another world. I can see why Dumbledore would want that under wraps," Draco commented. "And I'm not sure if I would have been close enough to you guys before that Howler to not tell Dad… so when it comes to me, at least, it was a good idea."

Hermione and Neville exchanged a look before they admitted that earlier they might not have been good enough friends to keep it a secret.

"I haven't lied about anything not connected with keeping my cover as Harry," Percy promised them. "Since Harry was raised by those atrocious Muggle relatives, nobody knew his personality so I could just use my own."

"I hope the real Harry is doing all right," commented Neville. "He has to be so confused."

"Yeah, I hope Grover helps him out," agreed Percy. "Though it's been about a year already since we switched. At least it got me out of a boring field trip to some museum in the Big Apple."

"Oh, you lived near New York City when you were you?" Hermione asked with interest.

"When I wasn't at school I lived in an apartment with my mom and stepdad in New York City. I miss the city." Percy looked around at the cloud-filled sky, emerald green grass, shimmering lake, and dark forest. "Not that there's anything wrong with so much nature. I'm just more of a city kid."

"I promise I won't tell anyone about this," Draco assured Percy, Neville and Hermione following up with their own promises.

"Thanks, guys." Percy flopped down. "This makes me feel so much better- just a little less secret-keeping."

"Dumbledore let in the four House Heads, so we can call Perseus that in the Potions classroom, but remember not to do so anywhere else unless you're like two hundred percent certain no one else will overhear. After all, odds are that You Know Who has an inside wizard at Hogwarts. If You Know Who knows that Perseus isn't Harry Potter… oh boy. He'll get even more dangerous, since he won't view Perseus as a valid threat anymore."

Neville gulped. "That would be bad."

"I'd be dead," Percy corrected Neville.

"Don't worry, Perseus," Hermione told him. "We'll stick by you."

"Thanks, guys. But I just remembered- there was one lie by omission. I went to see the Mirror of Erised over Christmas break. Dumbledore came by, so nothing bad was at risk of happening."

"That I didn't know," Ron joked. More seriously he asked, "What… what did you see?"

"Who did I see," Percy corrected him. "My reflection was my reflection, not Harry's. My mom was there, a guy who had to be my dad, Grover, and a girl. She told me her name was Annabeth."

"How'd she do that?" puzzled Neville.

"She breathed on the glass and wrote her name on the mist left behind."

"I didn't know the Mirror of Erised could do that," mused Draco.

"Yeah, well, just by being here I might be changing stuff up a bit. Apparently like Harry I have powers too. Different ones though. Dumbledore's test showed that we'd each had powers but that we had kind of combined them thanks to the switch."

"Is that where the water connection comes from? Because that seems to be your default choice of magic, as Draco and the troll and the Fiendfyre can attest," Hermione observed.

Draco blinked. Neville asked, "You don't know whether to be flattered or insulted by being included in that group, do you?"

"Correct…"

After a moment of thinking it over, Percy commented, "Well, yeah, the water thing is all me. Or was, before the switch."

"This is getting confusing," Neville shook his head. "I don't know how you did, Perseus."

"You know something, Neville? I'm not really sure myself."

HPJHPJHPJ

The exams began as a heat wave hit Hogwarts. Percy had never imagined that England could get so hot. In large classrooms they took their written exams with special new quills with anti-cheating charms on them. There were also the practical exams: making a pineapple tap dance across a desk in front of Professor Flitwick; Professor McGonagall watching them turn a mouse into a snuffbox; identifying a series of magical plants with Professor Sprout; and making a Forgetfulness potion from memory as Professor Snape watched imperiously.

For the first time ever Percy felt all right about the exams- all the studying Hermione had made them do had helped, but also the charm on his glasses that let him read without much trouble. Of course, the fact that wizarding subjects were far more interesting than Muggle subjects and how active Hogwarts was compared to his earlier schools had played a role in his improved academic performance as well. About the only problem was that at least once a day his forehead would start aching for hours on end before fading away. Percy tried to convince himself that it was just nerves from the exams with limited success.

He also started having nightmares of a giant pit in a cavern. Why of this, opposed to the unicorn blood-sucking You Know Who like Draco kept dreaming of, Percy had no clue.

The first years' last exam was History of Magic. After an hour of answering questions about long-ago wizards who had invented self-stirring cauldrons they were free, free for the week until the exam results were released. Everybody cheered as Professor Binns asked them at the end of the exam period to put down their quills and roll up their parchment.

In order to use Perseus in their conversation they snuck down to the empty Potions classroom to talk and cool down from the stuffy, steamy exam room. Sitting down at the table Hermione observed, "That was far easier than I thought it would be."

The boys just gave her incredulous looks. Sulky she said, "What? It was- I didn't need to have read up on the uprising of Elfric the Eager or the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct."

"Of course," snorted Ron, sprawled out on the cool cobbled floor. "So, what should we do this week? I doubt we'll be able to get together often this summer. Hermione has Muggle parents, Mum will be busy with the baby, Neville's grandmother is a terror, and Draco's dad is an utter prat. No offense meant, Draco and Neville."

"None taken," shrugged Neville.

"It's getting hard to argue that my father isn't a 'prat' as you eloquently put it, Ron," Draco sighed.

"Well, the last Quidditch match of the year is coming up… if Gryffindor wins the match, they'll narrowly win the Cup from Slytherin."

"Yes, but Slytherin will still win the House Cup- again," Draco smirked.

Ron rolled over onto his back. "Eh, the year isn't over yet."

"That's what I'm worried about," frowned Percy. "The thief is running out of chances to steal the Sorcerer's Stone because I bet it'll be moved to someplace secret over the summer."

"Relax, Perseus," Ron dismissed Percy's concerns. "Hagrid said no one knows how to get past Fluffy except for him and Dumbledore."

"Unless I'm wrong about that Greek myth about Orpheus applying to Fluffy, all you have to do is play some music or sing," Perseus frowned.

"Well, Hagrid did say he bought Fluffy from a Greek," mused Hermione. Perseus joked, "Shouldn't you have already known that, Hermione, especially considering that you're named Hermione?"

"I don't get it," went Ron.

"Hermes is the Greek god of thieves, travelers, medicine, and a few other things. My name comes from his," Hermione sighed before sticking her tongue out at Percy. "And I prefer fact over myth."

"You're a witch!" shouted Percy in disbelief. Hermione ignored him.

"So…?" puzzled Draco.

Percy just face-palmed. In an effort to salvage the conversation Neville suggested, "We could go visit Norbert."

Agreeing, they all trekked out to Norbert's cage. Hagrid was sitting nearby on a tree stump, his sleeves and trousers rolled up, shelling peas into a tin bucket. With a broad smile he greeted them. "Hullo. Finished yer exams? Came ter visit little Norbert?"

'Little' Norbert let out a thirteen-foot-long jet of flame up into the air at that moment. Percy stared at the young dragon for a minute, his heart sinking as he realized something. "Hagrid… who exactly did you get Norbert from?"

"Dunno," shrugged Hagrid. "Down in the Hog's Head most people keep their hoods up like he did, so I never saw his face. There's a lot o' funny folk who go there."

"It was probably just a smuggler… Harry," Neville commented absently, poking at some odd moss on a yew tree. But Hermione was catching onto Percy's train of thought, and frowned anxiously. "But how many people go around betting dragon eggs if they're so rare and illegal?"

"Probably wanted ter get rid of it," Hagrid said airily.

Now Ron caught on as well and gave Percy a nerve-wracked look. Quietly Percy asked, "Did you two discuss Hogwarts, Hagrid?"

"It mighta come up," Hagrid conceded pensively. "Yeah, it did. He asked me what I did, and I told him I was gamekeeper here."

"And what else did he ask?" Hermione nudged.

"Well, he kept buyin' me drinks so I can't remember too well. He asked what sorta creatures I look after, so I told him… said he had a dragon egg and we could play cards fer it… but he wanted ter make sure it went to a good home." Hagrid chuckled. "I told him after Fluffy a dragon would be easy."

All five dropped their jaws. Recovering first, Ron asked wearily, "I bet he was interested in Fluffy, huh?"

"Well, of course. How many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece of cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep-"

Hagrid froze, realizing what he had said both to the person in the bar and just now to the five Hogwarts first years.

Pumping his fist, Percy crowed, "I KNEW IT!"

Then he covered his mouth with his hands, going sheepishly, "Um, sorry."

"Wait- about Fluffy falling asleep to music or about the person Hagrid got Norbert from being involved in planned theft?" Hermione asked shrewdly.

"Both," Percy shrugged casually.

Leaving behind a speechless Hagrid, the five rushed down to the lakeshore where the twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the giant squid's tentacles. Panting, Ron demanded, "Where's Percival?"

"Probably up in his room," shrugged Fred.

The five stared up at the Gryffindor tower. Hermione stated, "Let's go to the staff room. Hopefully someone will be there…"

"Wait, what are you all on about?" wondered George, but by that time the five were already dashing back to the castle. Looking around, they wondered desperately where the staff room was.

"Okay, let's split up," Percy suggested.

"No, that's what happens in horror movies and then everyone dies except for the pretty girly girl. And I don't want Draco to outlive us all," retorted Hermione.

"I'm not a girl!"

"Hm… maybe I should try that gender-swap spell on YOU, Draco, see if it even works."

"Don't you dare, Weasley!"

"Guys, kind of not the time," Neville interrupted.

"Wrong kind of movie anyway, Hermione. We're witches and wizards- ergo, fantasy. Everybody lives," Percy insisted. "You go to Flitwick's office, I'll go to Sprout's, Ron will go to McGonagall's, Draco to Snape's, and Neville you find the staff room. We'll meet back here in half an hour at the latest, professors hopefully in tow."

But in fifteen minutes they were back in the Great Hall sans professors. Draco wondered, "Where did they go?"

"Professor Burbage said that Dumbledore got a letter from the Ministry requesting the presence of himself and the House Heads," Neville explained. "So that's the five most powerful wizards in the school gone. I didn't want to risk the thief being one of the professors left behind."

"Good idea, Neville," agreed Ron.

"I bet it was a fake," muttered Draco. "The thief tricked them into leaving so he has a clear field tonight to steal the Stone for You Know Who."

"But he doesn't have a clear field," Neville pointed out. "We're still here."

"We are, aren't we?" Hermione agreed quietly. "And I suppose we're the only for sure obstacles between You Know Who and immortality."

"Well, we did take on a troll," Ron commented. "I guess a You Know Who affiliated thief is the next logical step, right, Hermione?"

"I suppose so," mused Hermione.

"Let's not involve anyone else," Draco frowned. "The fewer who need to risk trouble the better."

"Draco's right. Let's go tonight," agreed Percy. "Get anything you think we'd need, but go light. Anybody got an instrument?"

"I have a recorder," volunteered Neville.

HPJHPJHPJ

At nine o' clock the five met outside the door leading to Fluffy. It was already ajar. Ron said, "I borrowed Athena to send a message to Dumbledore after dinner. Hopefully he'll get it soon."

He held up a recorder. "The twins and Percival were getting curious so Neville stayed behind to keep them busy. He slipped me his recorder first though."

"Good," smiled Draco weakly. "It was a bloody miracle that we didn't get caught."

"Quite," agreed Hermione. "Let's go."

Percy pushed the door wide open, Fluffy rumbling as he did so. Hastily Ron started playing a series of random notes on Neville's recorder. A harp was at its feet, left behind by the thief. Ron's playing quickly led Fluffy to close all six eyes and droop its heads. Slowly its growls softened and ended before the giant dog toppled to the floor, sound asleep.

"I wonder if it likes fetch," mumbled Percy as he made his way cautiously to the trapdoor. His nose wrinkled at Fluffy's stinky, steamy breath but he pulled up the trapdoor by its ring anyway.

"Who's on first?" asked Draco. He and Ron turned to Hermione, who glared at them both. "Not me!"

They just kept looking so she gritted her teeth and approached. "It's just darkness with no way of climbing down. I think we'll have to jump."

"Great," griped Percy, crouching down. "I'll go first. Wait until you hear from me before jumping yourselves."

Taking a deep breath, he jumped into the hole. He started to feel cold as he fell, finally landing on something soft with an oddly muffled thump. Sitting up, Percy felt around and tried to adjust to the gloom.

"It's okay," he shouted up at the faraway light of the open trapdoor. "It's a soft landing, you can jump!"

Next came Hermione, and then Draco.

"What is this?" wondered Draco, feeling around.

"It's some kind of plant. I guess it's here to break the fall. Lucky it's here."

"Lucky!" shrieked Hermione, leaping up and struggling towards the nearest wall. She struggled because the plant had released tendrils to wrap around all three of them. Percy and Draco had tendrils all the way up their legs already.

Lastly came Ron, recorder in hand as Fluffy began to bark far above them.

"Ron, get over here!" she demanded, and Ron did so.

"What in Merlin's pants?" demanded Ron as he watched the other two boys struggle against the plant but that only encouraged it.

"Stop moving," she ordered them. "This is Devil's Snare!"

"What help is that," snapped Ron, stomping on an approaching tendril.

"Shut up, Ronald, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!"

"Neville would know already," complained Draco, fighting it as it tried to wrap around his chest.

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare… what did Professor Sprout say? It likes the dark and the damp."

"So light a fire!" Percy got out.

"But there's no wood!" Hermione cried out. The three boys gave her flat, disbelieving looks. Ron got out his wand and waved it about. "We're wizards, Hermione!"

Then he stared at his wand. "What's a good fire spell?"

"Oh," blushed Hermione, and getting out her own wand she cast the spell for bluebell flames. Within seconds the plant retreated from Percy and Draco, letting them pull free.

"We should have brought Neville," sighed Percy as he joined Ron and Hermione. "No offense, Hermione, but he's even better at Herbology than you and would have remembered sooner."

"This is exactly why Muggleborns have issues," muttered Draco, rubbing at his reddened neck as he joined them. "Sorry, Hermione, but purebloods don't forget they have magic when in trouble."

Ron made a face at Draco but couldn't argue with that; in fact, Percy strongly suspected he would have snapped at her himself if Draco hadn't done it first. The quartet went down a stone passageway that sloped downward. Water trickled down the walls, somehow reassuring Percy. None of them dared speak- they didn't know how far ahead the thief was of them. But then Ron whispered, "Can you hear something?"

"Yes," replied Draco just as quietly. When he strained his ears, Percy heard a soft rustling and clinking coming from up ahead of them where there was a dim light marking a chamber. Hermione frowned. "What could be making that noise?"

"Well, we're going to find out," shrugged Percy, getting out his pale wand that nearly glowed in the dark passageway. "Come on guys."

At the end of the passageway was a brightly-lit chamber with a high arched ceiling like a tiny Great Hall. Flying throughout the chamber were tiny glittering things. On the far end was a heavy wooden door. Carefully they crossed to the door, but the artifacts did not attack them. Percy tugged at the handle but it was securely locked.

Draco pointed his wand at the door. "_Alohomora_!"

"Nothing," grunted Percy, pushing against the door.

"Now what?" frowned Hermione.

Ron eyed the objects with interest, commenting, "These birds can't be here just for decoration."

Looking more closely, they saw that the things were winged keys, not birds. Draco pointed at a corner of the chamber. "There's some broomsticks. There's only three though."

Ron studied the door's lock. "All right, we need to find the key that matches the door- it's probably silver like the handle and big and old-fashioned."

"Do we **have** to fly?" sighed Hermione.

Percy told her, "We'll play rock paper scissors. Whoever loses has to use the third broom."

"Oh come on," groaned Draco. "Ron and I will handle it ourselves."

Ron and Draco got onto a broomstick and rode into the mass of keys. The two dove and dashed about, trying to catch potential matches. After about ten minutes Ron and Draco closed in on a key, Draco swooping in to grab it. When they landed, Percy saw it was large with bright blue wings. One wing was crumpled, proving it had been jammed into the keyhole.

Hermione clapped her hands. "Well done, Ron! Well done, Draco!"

Ron and Draco smiled. The latter put the key into the keyhole, turning it. Once the lock clicked open the key took off again, looking even more battered.

"Ready?" asked Percy, hand on the door handle.

"Yes, Perseus," the others agreed. So Percy pulled the door open, revealing a pitch black chamber. Nervously they entered, causing light to show what the chamber contained. The quartet stood at the edge of a giant chessboard. Before them were the midnight black chessmen, all of them as big as Hagrid. Facing them from the other side were the pure white chessmen. Behind the white chessmen was a door. None of the chessmen had faces, which had a disturbing effect.

"Now what?" Draco whispered.

Ron grinned widely. "Isn't it obvious, Draco? We have to play our way across the room."

"Of course," Hermione sighed. "But how?"

"I think we're going to have to be chessmen," Ron replied, walking up to a black knight. He put his hand on the knight's horse, causing the piece to come to life: the horse pawed its square and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron.

"Do we have to, um, join you to get across?"

The knight nodded. Ron looked back at the trio. "This needs thinking about… I suppose we've got to take the place of four black pieces…"

For a few minutes Ron thought, the others remaining quiet since Ron was the best at chess. At last he said, "Now don't be offended or anything, but none of you are that good at chess-"

"Compared to you, we're as good as trolls at chess," snorted Draco. Hermione assured him, "Just tell us what to do, Ron."

"Yeah," Percy backed them up.

"I'll be this knight. Hermione, you can be that castle. Perseus, you can be that bishop. Draco, you can be the other bishop."

At Ron's words those four pieces left the board, letting the four take their squares. Peering across the board, Ron reminded them, "White always plays first in chess. Yes, look…"

A white pawn had moved forward two squares. Percy gulped. He hoped this wasn't like regular wizarding chess, but he had a bad feeling his hopes would be for naught. Ron directed the black pieces, none of the others daring to speak. Percy was grateful again and again that Ron was brilliant at chess, because otherwise their defeat would have been certain.

"Perseus, move diagonally three squares to the right," Ron's command shook him out of his concern.

When the other rook was taken, the white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he lay quite still, facedown. Percy distinctly felt like puking at that point. This was real wizarding chess all right.

Looking shaken Ron justified his action. "I had to let that happen. That leaves Hermione free to take that bishop. Go on, Hermione."

Every time one of their men was lost, the white pieces attacked without mercy. Soon there was a huddle of black pieces slumped along the wall, with a smaller white huddle on the opposite wall. A few times Ron had barely caught that his friends had been in danger, but managed to keep them safe. He moved around the board freely, taking white pieces nilly-willy.

Percy's heart lifted when Ron muttered, "We're nearly there. Let me think, let me think…"

But his heart sank again when the white queen turned to face Ron and the redhead stated quietly, "Yes, it's the only way. I've got to be taken."

"NO!" shouted Draco, Hermione, and Perseus.

Irritably Ron snapped at them, "That's chess! Sacrifices have to be made! I make my move and she'll take me- that'll leave you free to checkmate the king, Perseus!"

"But-" began Hermione, the other two just as horrified.

"The thief has to be stopped! Look, if we don't hurry he'll already have the Stone!" Ron shouted, not permitting any argument. And they knew that there was probably no alternative.

His freckles standing out against his pale skin, Ron called, "Ready? Here I go- now, don't hang around once you've won."

He stepped forward, closing his eyes. The white queen struck him hard across the head with her stone arm, causing him to crash to the floor. Hermione let out a scream of horror, looking as if she wanted to go to him. The white queen dragged the unconscious Ron to one side.

Shakily Percy moved three squares to the left. The white king took off his crown and threw it at Percy's feet. They had won. The white chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the door ahead clear. With final glances back at Ron, the remaining three went through the door and up the next passageway.

"Oh, what if he's not all right?" worried Hermione.

"He'll be fine," Percy tried to convince them and himself. "Whose enchantments are left?"

"Hagrid was Fluffy, Sprout was the Devil's Snare, and Flitwick must have charmed the keys," listed Draco. Hermione continued, "McGonagall must have transfigured the chessmen. That leaves Dumbledore's, Quirrell's, and Snape's spells."

Another door loomed at the end of the passageway. Percy wiped at his brow. "Let's do this…"

Percy opened it to a horrible stench that had them covering their noses with their sleeves. Horrified, they entered to see a huge troll knocked out on the chamber's floor. It had a bloody bruise on its head.

"Well, at least we didn't have to fight another troll," commented Draco. "One a school year is my limit."

Hermione had to snort at that as they crept by it. Percy opened the next door, and as soon as the three crossed the threshold a purple fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. Black flames burned in the doorway on the far side of the room.

In the center of the room was a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line. Draco smiled fondly. "This must be Professor Snape's."

Hermione read a roll of paper that had been lying next to the bottles. Percy and Draco waited for her to finish before the former asked, "Well?"

With a wide smile Hermione said, "This is brilliant. This isn't magic- it's logic- a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic, they'd be stuck in here forever."

Draco looked somewhere between flattered and offended on his House Head's account. "Professor Snape is a great wizard."

"Yes, yes, Draco."

"So, the question is whether we'll be stuck in here forever," pointed out Percy.

"Of course not. Everything we need is here on this paper. Seven bottles: three are poison, two are wine, one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us back through the purple."

"But how do we know which is which?" questioned Draco. Hermione gave him a scathing look. "By solving the riddle, of course."

"Oh, of course," Draco mumbled bemusedly. Hermione was too busy rereading the riddle to have heard. She spent the next several minutes pacing the length of the table and figuring out the riddle. Draco and Percy were busy playing rock paper scissors when Hermione clapped her hands and announced, "I got it. The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire- towards the Sorcerer's Stone."

They looked at the tiny bottle. Percy frowned, "But there's barely one swallow left in there. Which one gets you back through the purple flames?"

Hermione gestured towards a rounded bottle at the right end of the line.

"Okay, Hermione and Draco, you two drink that. Get Ron, grab the brooms from the flying-key room to leave and get back past Fluffy. Maybe find Neville and the other Weasleys. Try to get a way to contact Dumbledore and the House Heads. I can at least hold-"

Percy paused, thinking of something. "Wait- I've got water-related powers, right? Water doesn't burn… maybe I could force myself through and one of you could drink-"

"I like the first plan; Perseus, these are magic flames. I don't think otherworldly elemental magic will help a lot in this case," Draco observed. "Just don't get yourself killed, all right?"

Hermione nodded rapidly. Then she bit her lower lip. "What if You Know Who is there?"

"Um, like Draco said, try not to die?"

Hermione hugged him. "Be careful, Perseus."

"Do I get a hug too?" Draco moped. Hermione gave him a look as she released Percy.

"Just go, you two. I can do this," Percy assured them.

"Be careful," they chorused, then looked at each other in surprise at having said the same thing.

"Hermione- you're sure about which is which, right?"

"Positive," she said, taking a long drink from the round bottle at the end with a shudder.

"It's not poison?" Percy had to double-check.

"No, but it tastes like ice," she told him as she handed the bottle to Draco. Making a face, Draco took a long drink as well.

"Quick, leave before it wears off," Percy told them. With final, wobbly smiles the two went through the purple fire. Percy raked his hands through his eternally messy hair, wondering why Harry's life was so complicated at the age of eleven. At least he, Percy, was going on thirteen by this point.

Getting a hold of himself, Percy picked up the smallest bottle and neared the black flames. He drained the bottle with a single gulp. He felt as if he had just plunged into the icy Atlantic off Montauk where he and his mom had used to go but hadn't gone in years. He walked through the black flames, not feeling a thing although all he could see was the fire. Then he was on the other side of the doorway, in the final chamber.

There was already someone present. Percy hadn't expected anyone in particular, but even if he had, he would not have expected this person.


	17. Chapter 17: The Man with Two Faces

Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.

Woo-hoo! The first fics are done already! Happy Ides of March, everybody! And thanks yet again to Mellie Erdmann for editing!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seventeen: The Man with Two Faces<strong>

It was Quirrell. The wizard smiled as he turned to face Percy. Quite calmly he observed, "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here, Potter."

"Oh, really?" Percy tried to remain calm by telling himself that at least it wasn't You Know Who he had to confront.

"Yes," he smiled coldly, snapping his fingers. Ropes appeared out of nowhere to wrap themselves tightly around Percy.

"So you tried to steal the Stone from Gringotts- and unleashed Fiendfyre on the school," Percy demanded.

"Of course," he shrugged with a frigid, jagged laugh. He went on to note, "You're too nosy to live, Potter. Scurrying around the school with your friends on Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd seen me coming to look at what was guarding the Stone."

"That was your fault as well?" Percy replied, trying to squirm to see if the ropes had a weak spot.

"Certainly. I have a special gift with trolls- you must have seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there? Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for the troll, Snape must have already suspected me because he went to the third floor to head me off."

He frowned, his face oddly overshadowed by his vast purple turban. "That was a poor night. Not only did my troll fail to beat you and your friends to death, but that three-headed dog didn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off properly. Now, wait quietly, Potter. I need to examine this interesting mirror."

Percy gulped, seeing that this chamber was the new home of the Mirror of Erised.

While Quirrell was busy muttering to himself, Percy struggled with the knotted ropes to no avail. So he decided to distract Quirrell as the professor circled the Mirror.

"So Snape suspected you?"

"Yes… he didn't trust me from the beginning. Of late he was trying to pressure me into revealing how much I knew. Snape even tried to frighten me- as if he could, when I had Lord Voldemort on my side…"

Having come full circle Quirrell stared at the Mirror with unabashed hunger. "I see the Stone… I'm presenting it to my master… but where is it?"

Percy wracked his mind for something else to distract Quirrell with. "I thought someone was frightening you a few days ago. If it wasn't Snape, who was it?"

Fear flickered across Quirrell's face, and Percy's scar gave off a matching flash of pain.

"Sometimes, I find it difficult to follow my master's instructions- he is a great wizard and I am weak…"

"You mean he was in the classroom with you?" Percy got out, disturbed how close he had come to encountering You Know Who.

Soberly Quirrell gave his attention to Percy. "He is with me wherever I go. I met him while I was traveling the world. Back then I was a foolish young man full of simple-minded ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it."

Percy rolled his eyes. But Quirrell didn't notice, instead continuing his monologue.

"Ever since I have served him faithfully, although I have disappointed him many times. He has had to be very hard on me." Suddenly he shuddered. "He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the Stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me and decided he would have to keep a closer watch over me…"

Aggravated, Percy tried to wiggle his fingers loose. He had to get loose and stop Quirrell. You Know Who could not get his hands on the stone.

"I don't understand- is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?"

Percy tried to hop but only toppled down to the ground. At least Quirrell had been too busy talking to himself to notice. As he flopped around like a dying fish, attempting to get back up, Percy tried to figure out a new plan.

"What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!"

Percy froze when a voice answered, seemingly coming from Quirrell. "Use the boy… use the boy…"

Quirrell wheeled around. "Yes, Potter, come here."

He clapped his hands once, causing the ropes to fall off Percy. Carefully Percy got to his feet but did not heed Quirrell's order.

"Come here," he repeated. "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see."

Slowly, deliberately, Perseus walked to the Mirror of Erised. He decided instantly to lie, because there was no conceivable way telling the truth would help in this situation. Closing his eyes, Percy took a deep breath, ignoring the odd odor the turban was giving off. Then he opened his eyes as he stood right in front of the Mirror.

First he saw his real self's reflection, looking as nerve-wracked as Percy felt. But then the reflection smiled at him. It put its hand into its pocket and pulled out a fist-sized blood-red stone. With a wink it replaced the Stone into its pocket- and as it did so, Percy felt something heavy drop into his real pocket. Somehow, he didn't have a clue how, he'd gotten the Stone.

"Well?" Quirrell pressed. "What do you see?"

"The death of your master," Percy smirked, despite his heart pounding.

Aggravated, Quirrell shoved him aside. Percy backed up, trying to decide if his elemental powers could protect him on the way out or if trying to escape with the Stone in his pocket would just get him killed. But as he edged towards the black flames the voice came again.

"He lies… he lies…"

"Potter, get back here!" Quirrell shouted. "Tell me the truth! What did you see?"

The high, icy voice spoke again. "Let me speak to him… face to face…"

"Master, you are not strong enough!"

"I have strength enough… for this…"

Percy froze, too stunned and curious to move. What in Merlin's beard was going on? Quirrell reached up and slowly unwrapped his turban. Finally the turban fell away, Quirrell's bald head looked small without it. Then he turned around on the spot to reveal a horrifying, hideous sight.

Where the back of his head should be was another face. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes. Once Percy had fought down his gag reflex, he swallowed to moisten his mouth enough to say: "Wow, you're ugly."

"And that is your fault, Harry Potter. Because of you I am mere shadow and vapor, only having form when I can share another's body. There have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds."

The second face, You Know Who, continued. "Unicorn blood has given me strength over these past few weeks, with Quirrell drinking for me as you yourself saw."

With a terrible smile the voice concluded, "Once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own. Now… why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"

Percy stumbled backwards, panicked that he knew. Trembling, he got out his wand and pointed it at Quirrell and You Know Who. "Not… not another step forward, you hear?"

"How touching… I always value bravery. Your parents were as brave as you… your father died first, after putting up a courageous fight… but your mother needn't have died… she was trying to protect you… Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain."

"No," went Percy before running, having decided that discretion was the better part of valor in this case But he had barely began his dash towards the flame-filled exit before a drenched Quirrell grabbed at his wrist. Pain shot through his scar, making Percy yell furiously as he struggled against the adult's grip. To his shock, Quirrell actually let go which caused the pain in his head to decrease. Looking around in bewilderment, he saw Quirrell had hunched over in pain. The professor's fingers were blistering before their very eyes.

But You Know Who shrieked again, "SEIZE HIM! SEIZE HIM!"

So Quirrell lunged, knocking Percy off his feet. He landed on top of the boy, wrapping his hands around Percy's neck. Despite the pain in his scar, Percy could hear Quirrell's screams of pain. Gasping for breath he returned the favor, encircling Quirrell's neck with his hands. This made Quirrell howl in agony, before getting out as he released Percy's neck, "Master, I cannot hold him- my hands- my hands-"

Percy felt sick as he saw how raw and shiny said hands had become, but tightened his grip on Quirrell's neck despite his light-headedness. His neck was also starting to blister and turn red like his hands. As Quirrell struggled to raise his wand, Percy kneed him in the stomach and switched their positions. Quirrell kept trying to get free in order to kill him, but Percy desperately maintained his grip on the older man's neck. The pain was growing, blurring his vision. His ears were full of Quirrell's shrieks, You Know Who's demands for Harry Potter's death, and a voice crying out 'Harry!' again and again.

Harry felt himself freed from a flailing Quirrell and fell down into the darkness…

HPJHPJHPJ

Blinking several times, Percy woke up to the sight of a smiling, bespectacled Albus Dumbledore. The elderly man greeted him with a pleasant, "Good afternoon, Perseus."

"Good afternoon, Headmaster," Percy replied cautiously. Baffled he went, "What's going on, exactly? The last thing I remember is fighting Quirrell…"

"Ah, indeed. You are in the hospital wing- have been for the past three days."

Percy looked around at the hospital wing. He was lying in a bed with white linen sheets, with a table piled high with various sweets next to him. Beaming, Dumbledore explained, "Those are tokens from your friends and admirers. What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so of course the entirety of Hogwarts knows."

The headmaster continued, "Your friends Mr. Ronald Weasley, Mr. Longbottom, Miss Granger, and Mr. Malfoy will be most relieved that you have revived. They have all been most worried."

"Is the Stone safe?" frowned Percy. He did not want to have been asleep for three days for nothing.

"If you are asking if Voldemort obtained it, then no, he did not. I arrived in time to prevent that, although I must say you were doing quite well on your own."

"So you got Hermione's owl?"

"No- we must have crossed in midair. I and the House Heads had no sooner reached London before it became clear to me that I had just left the place where I should be. I arrived just in time to pull Quirrell off you-"

"That was you?"

"Yes. I feared I might be too late, but you are here safe and sound."

"And the Stone not being misused."

"That as well," agreed Dumbledore. "And the Stone, to prevent any more much attempts, has been destroyed."

"But- but what about Nicholas Flamel?" gaped Percy. "And his wife?"

"Oh, you know about them?" Dumbledore smiled. "You did do the thing properly, didn't you? Well, Nicholas and I have had a little chat and they agreed it's all for the best."

"But that means they'll die…" frowned Percy.

"They have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order and then, yes, they will die."

Percy thought about it for a minute before concluding immortality really wouldn't be all it was cracked up to be. Dumbledore nodded.

"Yes, death is but the next great adventure to a well-organized mind. The Stone truly is not such a wonderful thing- as much money and life as you desire! The two things most human beings would choose above all, yet the same two things are the ones that are the worst for them."

"Is You Know Who gone, then?"

"Call him Voldemort, Perseus. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself," Dumbledore told him. "But no, Voldemort is not gone. He is still out there somewhere, for not being truly alive he cannot be killed. Quirrell was left to die; he shows as little mercy to his followers as to his foes. Nevertheless, it will take only someone to fight what appears to be a losing battle next time- and if he is delayed again and again Voldemort may never return to power."

Percy nodded slowly, partly because it was a lot to take in and partly because his head still ached from his fight with Quirrell. Quietly he asked, "Why couldn't Quirrell touch me?"

"Because the protection Harry's mother, Lily, gave Harry now extends to you as well. Love is among the foremost of things Voldemort cannot understand. To have been loved so deeply, will give us some protection forever." After a pause, Dumbledore added gently, "It presumably does not hurt your own mother would undertake any sacrifice for you."

Percy managed a wobbly smile.

"So that love is in your skin. Quirrell, being so full of hatred, greed, and lust for power as well as sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony for him to touch a person marked by something so good."

Weakly Percy sank back into his pillow. Remembering, he commented, "Some of the things he said down there- it sounded like he wanted to kill Harry even more than his parents. Why was that?"

"Ah, what a difficult question." The twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes dimmed. "I know the answer, I'm afraid, but you are still so young, Perseus…"

"I'm twelve going on thirteen," Percy replied indigently. "Besides, if I can face You- Voldemort I'm old enough to know why he's trying to kill Harry."

He half-expected a thunderclap to accompany the mention of You Know Who's name.

Dumbledore was quiet for a moment. "In all honesty, you have gone through far too much for a single year, Perseus. And I still find myself hoping in a horrible way that you will not have to take up all of Harry's burdens."

Percy stared out the window at a blindingly blue sky. Softly he said, "Well, I have a feeling I left behind some burdens for Harry that I didn't know existed- kind of like how I'm pretty sure Harry didn't have a clue he was even a wizard."

"Indeed," murmured Dumbledore.

Percy decided to change the subject. "Any word about my life and Harry?"

"We've had to be very careful, as we do not want anyone else finding out your secret," Dumbledore smiled in a way that told Percy he knew that Hermione, Neville, and Draco knew. Then the smile slipped away as he continued, "But so far, alas, it looks like you truly are from another world…"

"Right," gulped Percy. He joked, "Not that it would have done me much good since I came from 2005 and it's just 1992 now…"

Dumbledore sighed and nodded. He reached for a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. "Now, enough questions. I suggest you make a start on these sweets. Ah, Every Flavor Beans. I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit-flavored one, and since then I'm afraid I've had lost my liking for them- but I think I'll be safe with a nice toffee, don't you?"

Percy nodded as a smiling Dumbledore popped in the golden-brown bean into his mouth. It was all he could do not to laugh when the venerated wizard choked on the candy before lamenting, "Alas! Ear wax!"

HPJHPJHPJ

The nurse, Madam Pomfrey, was pleasant enough but very strict.

"Just for a few minutes," Percy requested yet again.

"Absolutely not."

"You let the Headmaster in…"

"Well, of course, he's the headmaster, quite different. You need rest."

"I was asleep for three days! How much more rest do I need?" went a baffled Percy. With a long sigh Madam Pomfrey conceded, "Very well. But for five minutes only."

Draco, Hermione, Neville, and Ron came in meekly behind her.

"Hello, Harry," grinned Ron. Hermione looked ready to hug Percy, but resisted. Neville got out, "We were so worried- we thought that you might…"

"The entire school is talking about it," Ron shook his head. "What really happened?"

"Yeah, what did Hermione and I miss out on?" Draco egged on Percy.

Haltingly at first, Percy told the whole story. About Quirrell being the thief, the return of the Mirror of Erised, the Sorcerer's Stone, and of course You Know Who. Percy found himself quite pleased with how the four reacted in the right ways at the right places. He finished with his earlier conversation with Dumbledore.

At the end Ron gaped at Percy. "So the Stone's gone? Flamel's just going to _die_?"

"Well, apparently if you look at it the right way, according to Dumbledore 'death is the next big adventure' or something like that," shrugged Percy, trying out a Sugar Quill.

"I always said he was off his rocker," observed an impressed Ron. Dryly Draco said, "So does my father, but I think you two mean it differently."

Neville poorly disguised a laugh as a cough while Ron glared at Draco. Hurriedly Percy asked, "So what happened with you all while I was battling You Know Who?"

"Well, Draco and I got back to the chess chamber all right. It took us a bit to bring Ron around, from there we got back past Fluffy."

"Percival and the twins got the truth out of me eventually," confessed Neville. "We had just gotten to the door when Ron, Hermione, and Draco burst out. All of us were running like mad to the Owlery-"

"When we ran into Dumbledore in the entrance hall," continued Draco. "He already knew, saying something to effect of 'Harry' going after the thief before running off to the third floor."

"The House Heads wanted an explanation, so we gave it," finished Ron. "Well, Percival and the twins wanted one too. That took a while- by the time we had finished, you were up here."

Neville wondered, "It's odd how it worked out we had to go after You Know Who."

"Maybe Dumbledore intended it that way," offered Ron. Hermione turned bright pink. "If he did- I mean to say- that's terrible- we could have been killed!"

Percy shrugged, the pain in his head nearly gone. "I think that I- or rather Harry- needed a chance to face You Know Who while he's still weak. Because now I'll be ready if he ever does return…"

"I hope not," muttered Draco.

"He really is off his rocker," grinned Ron. "Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup, which pleased all of Gryffindor to no end. Plus Mum had the baby- a boy, of course. She sent a picture, do you want to see it?"

"Of course," went Percy. So Ron pulled the photo out of his robe pocket. It showed Mrs. Weasley in a hospital bed, holding a bundle with a scrunched up face and a tuft of fire red hair. Mr. Weasley was to her left, waving and grinning.

"My little brother's name is Uther Jonathan Weasley," Ron informed Percy as he put away the photo. "Bill and Charlie will be arriving on the first of July for a two weeks' stay."

"Great," grinned Percy.

Draco commented, "This has been bothering me- how did you get the Stone out of the Mirror, Percy?"

"I asked Professor Flitwick that," Hermione told them. "He said it was part of Dumbledore's enchantment- only someone who wanted to find the Stone opposed to use it could get it out of the Mirror."

"That's bloody brilliant," Ron marveled.

Hermione smiled. "Yes, that's what Flitwick said was Dumbledore's opinion of the idea."

They all laughed as Madam Pomfrey approached firmly. "You've had nearly twenty minutes, now LEAVE!"

HPJHPJHPJ

Percy had had restless dreams of an evil… something in a dark pit most of the night. Still, he felt nearly normal in the morning. While Madam Pomfrey was neatening his numerous candy boxes, he asked cautiously, "Can I go to the end of year feast?"

"Professor Dumbledore says you are allowed to go," she sniffed. Apparently she felt feasts could be dangerous to recovering patients. Percy smiled up at her. "Great!"

Nonetheless Madam Pomfrey held him up with her fussy last check-up before letting him go down to the Great Hall. It was decked out in Ravenclaw colors- bronze and blue. A huge banner showing the Ravenclaw eagle covered the wall behind the High Table.

When Percy walked in, there was a moment of silence before everyone resumed talking. Awkwardly he sat down at the end of the Hufflepuff table and pretended not to notice how many people were getting up to look at him.

When Dumbledore arrived, the students fell silent. Standing before them, he made a speech. "Another year gone! And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully, your heads are all a little fuller than they were… you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next term starts… Now, as I understand it, the house cup needs awarding and the points stand thus: in fourth place is Hufflepuff with three hundred and seventy seven, Gryffindor has four hundred and twelve points in third, in second is Slytherin with four hundred and twenty three, and first is Ravenclaw with four hundred and sixty."

The Ravenclaw table burst into cheers and stomps. Quite a few people from the other three tables joined in as well. Percy thought Draco went overboard by banging his goblet on the table, however.

"Yes, yes, well, done, Ravenclaw," stated Dumbledore as the noise died down. "However, recent events must be taken into account."

The room went silent, so silent that Percy was tempted to drop his fork just to see if the whole room would hear it.

"Ahem. I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes… First to Mr. Ronald Weasley of Gryffindor…"

Ron turned a fascinating shade of maroon. Percival clapped him on the back.

"For the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor fifty points."

The Gryffindor table roared in response, and as the racket died down Percy could hear Percival bragging about Ron even from the Hufflepuff table.

"Second, to Mr. Draco Malfoy of Slytherin. Fifty points for the ambition to stay the course on a dangerous quest."

Draco turned bright pink as his fellow Slytherins cheered. Well, some of them looked disgruntled, but now they had more points than Ravenclaw. However then Dumbledore continued.

"Third goes to Miss Hermione Granger of Ravenclaw… for the usage of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Ravenclaw fifty points."

A lot of Slytherin looked put out, but Ravenclaw and most of the remaining two houses cheered as their lead was reconfirmed. Dumbledore held up his hands for silence.

"But lastly, to Harry Potter of Hufflepuff… for pure nerve and loyalty to ideals in face of darkness, I award Hufflepuff seventy points."

Hufflepuff let loose with cheers, and some of the other three Houses joined in as well. Admittedly this left the standing the same but now the lowest score was 407 and the highest was 510. Professor Sprout shook Flitwick's hand, and Professor McGonagall was clamping onto his shoulder in recognition. Professor Snape just gave the other, older man a curt nod.

Percy exhaled, hoping that next year would be a bit quieter. Somehow he doubted life at Hogwarts would ever be boring… but since he liked it that way, he didn't mind.

It was a great evening, full of food and reminisces. And once in bed, he commented to Catalina_, "This world… is worth protecting, you know?"_

"_Yesss. Ssso is yoursss… and I am certain Harry isss aware of that,"_ the snake replied sleepily.

HPJHPJHPJ

In all the chaos Percy had forgotten about his impending exam results. To his relief, he passed with good marks as did Ron and Draco. Hermione, of course, had the best grades of the first years. Neville's Potions grade was a bit lacking but his excellent Herbology score (just a handful of points below Hermione's) made up for that.

Down in the Potions classroom the day before their departure, the five were hanging out. Playing chess against Neville, Ron sighed, "It's a shame about Crabbe and Goyle passing, but you can never have everything in life."

Draco snorted. "I suppose that's true enough."

"Are you worried about your father?" asked Hermione tentatively, looking up from _Hogwarts, A History_. With an overly casual shrug Draco said, "As long as he doesn't hex me about it I think I'll be fine. Merlin's pants, I was quite the prat before becoming friends with you all, wasn't I?"

"Yes," they affirmed.

Faking a sulk Draco said, "You don't have to be so blunt about it."

As Ron captured Neville's queen the boy sighed, "I don't see why we keep playing against you, even now."

"You're gluttons for punishment?" tried Ron, propping his head up with his hands. Neville just stuck his tongue out at the redhead.

Snape exited his office, a black broom in hand. "All right, out, you lot. I need to clean up a bit and you all need to pack."

There was still daylight after packing so they went down to visit Norbert one last time before the summer. Hagrid was there as well. The huge man had apologized several times about accidentally betraying Fluffy's weakness to Quirrell. They had kept telling him that Quirrell would have found out somehow eventually and to stop beating himself up about it, but it had taken a while to convince him.

"So, Charlie said he'll be stopping by to make sure Norbert's all right," commented Ron, watching Neville climb a tree.

Hagrid nodded. "Just ter make sure little Norbert is healthy."

Draco eyed the snorting dragon as it attempted to batter his cage to pieces. "Right. Of course."

The notes warning them not to use magic over the holidays were handed out to everyone, and Hagrid led the fleet of boats back across the lake. Together they boarded the Hogwarts Express, talking and laughing as the countryside outside became tamer and more orderly. Percy shared the last of the candy he had received in the hospital wing with his friends as the train went past Muggle towns. Percival reminded them to change out of their robes, so they got back into their Muggle garb.

"Funny, how weird it feels after just nine months of wearing the Hogwarts uniform," commented Percy as the train neared London. "I mean, I wore stuff like this for the previous, say, ten years at least."

Ron shrugged as he put Scabbers in his cage. "I guess it got to be a habit."

"I guess so," sighed Percy.

"Don't worry, Perseus, it was the same way for me," Hermione assured him. He managed a weak smile of thank you in return.

The train pulled into King Cross's Station, and then Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Getting their luggage, they all got off the train. Draco hastily left to join his pale, sniffy mother and Hermione happily rejoined her parents who looked a bit uneasy to be surrounded by so many wizards. The twins left Lee to join their brothers and Percy.

Some students said farewell to Harry Potter, to which Percy waved at. An elderly woman was up at the ticket barrier letting them go through the gate in small clusters in order to keep the Muggles unaware.

"There they are!" came Ginny's voice, and they followed it to her and Mrs. Weasley, who had tiny Uther in a paisley sling.

"Say hello to your little brother," she urged them.

"Hi, Uther," went Percival. "Nice to meet you."

"Hi, Uther!" the twins chorused brightly, clearly elated when the infant sneezed in response.

"Excellent, Uther. I am no longer the youngest boy!"

"Ron!" Mrs. Weasley laughingly scolded. "Harry?"

"Oh," went Percy in surprise at his inclusion. "Hello, Uther. Nice to see the newest member of the Weasley clan."

"This is going to be a most excellent summer," proclaimed Ron as they got into line to leave the platform. Percy gave him a wide grin. "You know something, Ron? I think you're right."

* * *

><p><span>Preview for Percy Jackson and the Chamber of Secrets:<span>

* * *

><p><strong>The summer after his first year at Hogwarts' is better than ever for Percy Jackson. The Weasleys reach new highs of familial comfort and he even attends Neville's birthday party at a magical zoo! But just when Percy thinks the endless vacation can't get any better, a panicked Draco Malfoy with the house-elf Dobby in tow to warn him against going back to school. Of course, Percy doesn't listen. But Hogwarts isn't as fun as he remembers it to be. Almost immediately a student is found petrified, and then another. And somehow Percy stands accused, despite his secret of not being the real Harry remains safe. Could it be that Harry Potter is the long-feared heir of Slytherin?<strong>

**Percy and friends are stretched to their limits dealing with the likes of Moaning Myrtle, a spirit who haunts a girls' bathroom; the outrageously conceited new professor Gilderoy Lockheart; and the diary of Tom Riddle (a boy from Hogwarts' past) which gives terrifying new meaning to the phrase, "a compelling read".**


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